Hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus

ABSTRACT

A handle removably connectable to an appliance includes a battery pack. A vacuum cleaner which uses the handle and an air cooled battery charger is also provided

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/143,697 which was filed on May 2, 2016, and which claims the benefitof the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/276,510,filed on Jan. 8, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD

The present subject matter of the teachings described herein relatesgenerally to hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus. In a preferredembodiment, the hand carryable surface cleaning apparatus comprises aportable surface cleaning apparatus, such as a hand vacuum cleaner.

BACKGROUND

The following is not an admission that anything discussed below is partof the prior art or part of the common general knowledge of a personskilled in the art.

Various types of surface cleaning apparatus are known. Surface cleaningapparatus include vacuum cleaners. Currently, a vacuum cleaner typicallyuses at least one cyclonic cleaning stage. More recently, cyclonic handvacuum cleaners have been developed. See for example, U.S. Pat. No.7,931,716 and US 2010/0229328. Each of these discloses a hand vacuumcleaner which includes a cyclonic cleaning stage. U.S. Pat. No.7,931,716 discloses a cyclonic cleaning stage utilizing two cycloniccleaning stages wherein both cyclonic stages have cyclone axis ofrotation that extends vertically. US 2010/0229328 discloses a cyclonichand vacuum cleaner wherein the cyclone axis of rotation extendshorizontally and is co-axial with the suction motor. In addition, handcarriable cyclonic vacuum cleaners are also known (see U.S. Pat. No.8,146,201 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,549,703).

SUMMARY

This summary is intended to introduce the reader to the more detaileddescription that follows and not to limit or define any claimed or asyet unclaimed invention. One or more inventions may reside in anycombination or sub-combination of the elements or process stepsdisclosed in any part of this document including its claims and figures.

In accordance with one broad aspect of the teachings described herein,which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect, a handvacuum cleaner is provided wherein the inlet axis of the dirty air inletintersects the suction motor. The inlet axis may be parallel to thesuction motor axis of rotation and/or the inlet axis may be positionedabove an axis of rotation of a cyclone chamber wherein the cyclonechamber axis of rotation may be generally parallel to the inlet axisand/or the suction motor axis of rotation.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may be powered by an onboard energy storage member, such as one or more batteries. Some or allof the batteries may be provided in the handle of the hand vacuumcleaner and, optionally, at least in a lower portion of the handle.

An advantage of this configuration is that a hand vacuum cleaner withimproved ergonomics may be provided. As such, the hand vacuum cleanermay have an improved hand feel when used by a person.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanermay include, an air inlet conduit having an inlet conduit axis, asuction motor and fan assembly having a suction motor axis of rotationand, a cyclone unit comprising a cyclone chamber having a cyclone axisof rotation. The inlet conduit axis may be generally parallel to thecyclone axis and when the inlet conduit axis is horizontally disposed,the inlet conduit axis may be positioned above the cyclone axis. Aprojection of the inlet conduit axis may intersect the suction motor.

The cyclone axis may be positioned below the suction motor axis when theinlet conduit axis is horizontally disposed.

The cyclone axis may be positioned below the suction motor when theinlet conduit axis is horizontally disposed.

The inlet conduit axis may be positioned above the cyclone chamber whenthe inlet conduit axis is horizontally disposed.

The suction motor may be positioned above at least a portion of thecyclone chamber when the inlet conduit axis is horizontally disposed.

The suction motor axis of rotation may be generally parallel to theinlet conduit axis.

The suction motor axis of rotation may be generally parallel to theinlet conduit axis.

The suction motor axis of rotation may be generally orthogonal to theinlet conduit axis.

The hand vacuum may include a pre-motor filter. The suction motor may bepositioned above the pre-motor filter when the inlet conduit axis ishorizontally disposed.

The suction motor may be positioned rearward of the cyclone chamber.

The suction motor may be positioned forward of a pre-motor filter.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a handle having a hand grip portionthat extends upwardly and forwardly when the inlet conduit axis ishorizontally disposed.

The inlet conduit axis may be above the hand grip portion when the inletconduit axis is horizontally disposed.

The handle may be positioned rearward of the suction motor.

The handle may be positioned rearward of the suction motor and, when theinlet conduit axis is horizontally disposed, the handle may have a lowerportion and an upper portion.

The lower end of the handle may be positioned at an elevation of apre-motor filter and the upper portion of the handle is positioned at anelevation of the suction motor.

The lower end of the handle may be attached to a pre-motor filterhousing and the upper portion of the handle may be attached to a suctionmotor housing.

The cyclone unit may have an openable door provided at a front end ofthe cyclone unit.

The handle may house at least one energy storage member and the handlemay be removably mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner.

The handle may house at least one energy storage member in a lowerportion thereof.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,a hand vacuum cleaner is provided wherein the suction motor ispositioned forwardly. For example, the suction motor may be positionedforward of a hand grip portion of the handle, forward of the handle orforward of or axially aligned with a pre-motor filter.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may be powered by an onboard energy storage member, such as one or more batteries. Some or allof the batteries may be provided in the handle of the hand vacuumcleaner and, optionally, at least in a lower portion of the handle.

An advantage of this configuration is that a hand vacuum cleaner withimproved ergonomics may be provided. As such, the hand vacuum cleanermay have an improved hand feel when used by a person.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving a front end and a rear end may include an air inlet conduithaving an inlet conduit axis and a suction motor and fan assembly havinga suction motor axis of rotation. An air treatment member may have afront end and a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extendingbetween the front and rear ends. A handle may be provided at the rearend of the hand vacuum cleaner. The handle may have a hand grip portionthat extends upwardly and forwardly, and the suction motor may bepositioned forward of the hand grip portion.

The suction motor may be positioned forward of the handle.

The inlet conduit axis may be above the hand grip portion when the handgrip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

A lower end of the handle may be positioned at an elevation of apre-motor filter and an upper portion of the handle is positioned at anelevation of the suction motor.

The lower end of the may be attached to a pre-motor filter housing andthe upper portion of the handle may be attached to a suction motorhousing.

The air treatment member may be forward of the handle.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter and the airtreatment member and the pre-motor filter may be forward of the handgrip.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis is a cyclone axis.

The inlet conduit may have an inlet conduit axis that may be generallyparallel to the central longitudinal axis.

The hand grip portion may be oriented upwardly and forwardly, the inletconduit axis may be positioned above the central longitudinal axis and aprojection of the inlet conduit axis may intersect the suction motor.

The central longitudinal axis may be positioned below the suction motoraxis when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

The central longitudinal axis may be positioned below the suction motorwhen the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

The inlet conduit axis may be above the air treatment member when thehand grip portion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

The suction motor may be positioned above at least a portion of the airtreatment member when the hand grip portion is oriented upwardly andforwardly.

The suction motor axis of rotation may be generally parallel to theinlet conduit axis.

The suction motor axis of rotation may be generally parallel to theinlet conduit axis.

The suction motor axis of rotation may be generally orthogonal to theinlet conduit axis.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include pre-motor filter and the suctionmotor may be positioned above the pre-motor filter when the hand gripportion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

The suction motor may be rearward of the air treatment member.

The hand vacuum cleaner may have a front end, a rear end and a pre-motorfilter and the suction motor may be positioned forward of the pre-motorfilter.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include an energy storage member that ispositioned below the suction motor when the hand grip portion isoriented upwardly and forwardly, such as in the handle of the handvacuum cleaner.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include an energy storage member that ispositioned rearward of the suction motor when hand grip portion isoriented upwardly and forwardly.

The handle may house at least one energy storage member and the handlemay be removably mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner.

The handle may house at least one energy storage member in a lowerportion thereof.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,a hand vacuum cleaner is provided with a hollow longitudinally extendingporous filter media wherein air after exiting an air treatment member,such as a cyclone chamber, may enter the porous filter media from theouter surface thereof and travel inwardly into a hollow interior. Thefiltered air may then travel upwardly to a suction motor, such may belocated at an upper end or, and may overly, the longitudinally extendingporous filter media.

An advantage of this design is that a filter having a large upstreamfilter surface may be provided. Accordingly, the duration during whichthe hand vacuum cleaner may be used without a significant reduction inair flow due to a pre-motor filer becoming clogged may be increased. Afurther advantage is that the hollow interior of the filter material mayfunction as a conduit to convey filtered air upwardly to a suction motorthereby avoiding the need for a separate plastic conduit.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving an upper end and a lower end may include a suction motor and fanassembly having a suction motor axis of rotation, and an air treatmentmember having a front end and a rear end and a central longitudinal axisextending between the front and rear ends. A pre-motor filter mayinclude a longitudinally extending filter media having an open interior,an outer upstream wall, an inner wall and a filter longitudinal axis.The longitudinal axis may extend upwardly in a direction from the lowerend to the upper end.

The air may exit the pre-motor filter in the direction of the filterlongitudinal axis.

The air may travel upwardly from the pre-motor filter to an inlet of thesuction motor.

The suction motor may be positioned above the pre-motor filter when thelongitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

The suction motor axis of rotation may extend upwardly when thelongitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

The suction motor may be positioned above the pre-motor filter when thelongitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

The suction motor axis of rotation may extend generally vertically whenthe longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

The suction motor may be positioned above the pre-motor filter when thelongitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

The suction motor may be positioned above the pre-motor filter when thelongitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

The suction motor may be positioned forward of the pre-motor filter whenthe longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

The suction motor axis of rotation may extend generally horizontallywhen the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

The suction motor axis of rotation may extend generally horizontallywhen the longitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

The central longitudinal axis may extend generally horizontally when thelongitudinal axis is oriented to extend upwardly.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis may be a cyclone axis.

The central longitudinal axis may intersect the filter media twice.

The outer wall may include an upstream filter wall and the inner wallmay include a downstream filter wall.

The filter media may be generally annular in transverse section.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include an inlet conduit extending from adirty air inlet to the air treatment member and the inlet conduit mayhave a passage having an inlet conduit axis that is positioned above thepre-motor filter.

The inlet conduit axis may intersect the suction motor.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include inlet conduit extending from a dirtyair inlet to the air treatment member and having a passage having aninlet conduit axis that intersects the suction motor.

A handle may house at least one energy storage member, wherein thehandle is removably mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner.

The handle may house the at least one energy storage member in a lowerportion thereof.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,a hand vacuum cleaner has an air treatment member that extends generallyhorizontally when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with its upper endabove its lower end and the suction motor axis of rotation is orientedgenerally vertically.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may be powered by an onboard energy storage member, such as one or more batteries. Some or allof the batteries may be provided in the handle of the hand vacuumcleaner and, optionally, at least in a lower portion of the handle.

An advantage of this configuration is that a hand vacuum cleaner withimproved ergonomics may be provided. As such, the hand vacuum cleanermay have an improved hand feel when used by a person.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving an upper end and a lower end may include a suction motor and fanassembly having a suction motor axis of rotation and an air treatmentmember having a front end and a rear end and a central longitudinal axisextending between the front and rear ends. When the hand vacuum cleaneris oriented with the upper end above the lower end, the centrallongitudinal axis may extend generally horizontally and the suctionmotor axis of rotation may be oriented vertically ±20°, ±15°, ±10°, or±5°.

When the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above thelower end, the suction motor axis of rotation may be oriented vertically±5°.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include an inlet conduit having an inletconduit axis that is generally parallel to the central longitudinalaxis.

The inlet conduit axis may be positioned above the central longitudinalaxis.

The inlet conduit axis may be positioned above the air treatment member.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis may be a cyclone axis.

The hand vacuum cleaner may have an inlet conduit having an inletconduit axis and the inlet conduit axis may be generally parallel to thecyclone axis.

The inlet conduit axis may be positioned above the cyclone axis.

The inlet conduit axis may be positioned above the cyclone.

The hand vacuum may include a handle having a hand grip portion whereinthe hand grip portion extends upwardly and forwardly when the handvacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above the lower end.

An upper end of the suction motor may be positioned above an upper wallof the air treatment member when the hand vacuum cleaner is orientedwith the upper end above the lower end.

The suction motor may overlie a portion of the air treatment member.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter and the suctionmotor may be positioned forward of the pre-motor filter.

A lower end of the suction motor may be positioned below an upper wallof the air treatment member when the hand vacuum cleaner is orientedwith the upper end above the lower end.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter and the suctionmotor may be positioned above the pre-motor filter.

The pre-motor filter may be positioned in a pre-motor filter chamber andthe suction motor axis of rotation may extend through the suction motorchamber.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a handle having a hand grip portionthat extends upwardly and forwardly when the hand vacuum cleaner isoriented with the upper end above the lower end. The suction motor axisof rotation may be positioned between the air treatment member and thehand grip portion.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter having alongitudinally extending filter media having an open interior, an outerwall, an inner wall and a filter longitudinal axis. The longitudinalaxis may extend upwardly when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented withthe upper end above the lower end.

Air may exit the pre-motor filter in the direction of the filterlongitudinal axis.

Air may travel upwardly from the pre-motor filter to an inlet of thesuction motor.

A handle may house at least one energy storage member, wherein thehandle is removably mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner.

The handle may house the at least one energy storage member in a lowerportion thereof.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,a hand vacuum cleaner is provided with a porous pre-motor filter mediawherein after being treated in an air treatment member, air travels to arear side of the porous pre-motor filter media and then travelsforwardly to a front side of the porous pre-motor filter media. Thesuction motor may be provided forward of the rear side of the porouspre-motor filter media and may be positioned forward of the front sideof the porous pre-motor filter media. Alternately or in addition, thesuction motor may be provided towards an upper end of the hand vacuumcleaner, such as above and optionally overlying the air treatment memberand/or the pre-motor filter.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may be powered by an onboard energy storage member, such as one or more batteries. Some or allof the batteries may be provided in the handle of the hand vacuumcleaner and, optionally, at least in a lower portion of the handle.

An advantage of this configuration is that a hand vacuum cleaner withimproved ergonomics may be provided. As such, the hand vacuum cleanermay have an improved hand feel when used by a person.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving an upper end and a lower end may include a suction motor and fanassembly having a front end, a rear end and a suction motor axis ofrotation and an air treatment member having a front end and a rear endand a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rearends. A pre-motor filter media may have a front side and a rear side andair exiting the air treatment member may travel in a rearward directionto the rear side of the pre-motor filter media and the air may thentravel in a forward direction to the front side of the pre-motor filtermedia.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter conduit extendingthrough the pre-motor filter media. The front side may be an upstreamside of the pre-motor filter media and the rear side may be a downstreamside of the pre-motor filter media. Air exiting the air treatment membermay travel in a rearward direction through the pre-motor filter mediaand the air may then travel in a forward direction through the pre-motorfilter conduit.

The pre-motor filter may be positioned in a pre-motor filter housinghaving a front openable door and, when the openable door is opened, anupstream side of the pre-motor filter may be visible.

The air treatment member may be removable from the hand vacuum cleanerand the front openable door may be openable when the air treatmentmember is removed.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter conduit extendingthrough the pre-motor filter media. The front side may be a downstreamside of the pre-motor filter media and the rear side may be an upstreamside of the pre-motor filter media. Air exiting the air treatment maymember travel in a rearward direction through the pre-motor filterconduit and the air then may then travel in a forward direction throughthe pre-motor filter media.

The pre-motor filter may be positioned in a pre-motor filter housinghaving a front openable door. When the openable door is opened anupstream side of the pre-motor filter may be visible.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a handle that is provided on theopenable door.

The pre-motor filter may be positioned in a pre-motor filter housinghaving an openable door. When the openable door is opened an upstreamside of the pre-motor filter may be visible.

The central longitudinal axis may extend generally horizontally when thehand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above the lower end.

The air treatment member may have a height in a direction orthogonal tothe central longitudinal axis and the pre-motor filter media has aheight in the direction orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis thatis greater than the height of the air treatment member.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis may be a cyclone axis.

The suction motor may be positioned above an upper wall of the airtreatment member when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upperend above the lower end.

The suction motor may overlie at least a portion of the air treatmentmember when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end abovethe lower end.

The suction motor axis of rotation may be generally parallel to thecentral longitudinal axis.

The hand vacuum cleaner may have a handle that houses at least oneenergy storage member in a lower portion thereof. The handle may beremovable from the hand vacuum cleaner.

In accordance with this aspect, there is also provided a hand vacuumcleaner having an upper end and a lower end may include a suction motorand fan assembly having a front end, a rear end and a suction motor axisof rotation, and an air treatment member having a front end and a rearend and a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rearends. A pre-motor filter media may be positioned so that the front endof the suction motor is forward of the pre-motor filter media.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter conduit extendingthrough the pre-motor filter media. The front side may be an upstreamside of the pre-motor filter media and the rear side may be a downstreamside of the pre-motor filter media. Air exiting the air treatment membermay travel in a rearward direction through the pre-motor filter mediaand the air may then travel in a forward direction through the pre-motorfilter conduit.

The pre-motor filter may be positioned in a pre-motor filter housinghaving a front openable door and, when the openable door is opened, anupstream side of the pre-motor filter may be visible.

The air treatment member may be removable from the hand vacuum cleanerand the front openable door may be openable when the air treatmentmember is removed.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter conduit extendingthrough the pre-motor filter media. A front side may be a downstreamside of the pre-motor filter media and the rear side may be an upstreamside of the pre-motor filter media. Air exiting the air treatment membermay travel in a rearward direction through the pre-motor filter conduitand the air may then travel in a forward direction through the pre-motorfilter media.

The pre-motor filter may be positioned in a pre-motor filter housinghaving a front openable door and, when the openable door is opened, anupstream side of the pre-motor filter may be visible.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a handle that is provided on theopenable door.

The pre-motor filter may be positioned in a pre-motor filter housinghaving an openable door and, when the openable door is opened, anupstream side of the pre-motor filter may be visible.

The central longitudinal axis may extend generally horizontally when thehand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above the lower end.

The air treatment member may have a height in a direction orthogonal tothe central longitudinal axis and the pre-motor filter media may have aheight in the direction orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis thatis greater than the height of the air treatment member.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis may be a cyclone axis.

The suction motor may be positioned above an upper wall of the airtreatment member when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upperend above the lower end.

The suction motor may overlie at least a portion of the air treatmentmember when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end abovethe lower end.

The suction motor axis of rotation may be generally parallel to thecentral longitudinal axis.

The hand vacuum cleaner may have a handle that houses at least oneenergy storage member in a lower portion thereof. The handle may beremovable from the hand vacuum cleaner.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,a hand vacuum cleaner has a suction motor whose axis of rotation isgenerally parallel to a central longitudinal axis of an air treatmentmember (e.g., ±20°, ±15°, ±10°, or ±5°) and when the hand vacuum cleaneris oriented with the upper end above the lower end, the suction motoraxis of rotation is positioned above the central longitudinal axis.Accordingly, the suction motor may be positioned above at least thelower half of and may be positioned above or substantially above the airtreatment member and may extend generally in the same direction as theair treatment member.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may be powered by an onboard energy storage member, such as one or more batteries. Some or allof the batteries may be provided in the handle of the hand vacuumcleaner and, optionally, at least in a lower portion of the handle.

An advantage of this configuration is that a hand vacuum cleaner withimproved ergonomics may be provided. As such, the hand vacuum cleanermay have an improved hand feel when used by a person.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving an upper end and a lower end may include a suction motor and fanassembly having a suction motor axis of rotation, and an air treatmentmember having a front end, a rear end and a central longitudinal axisextending between the front and rear ends. The suction motor axis ofrotation may be generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis andwhen the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above thelower end, the suction motor axis of rotation may be positioned abovethe central longitudinal axis.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include an air inlet conduit having an inletconduit axis that is positioned above the central longitudinal axis.

The inlet conduit axis may be generally parallel to the centrallongitudinal axis.

A projection of the inlet conduit axis may intersect the suction motor.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include an air inlet conduit having an inletconduit axis that is generally parallel to the central longitudinalaxis.

A projection of the inlet conduit axis may intersect the suction motor.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone.

The inlet conduit axis may be above the air treatment member when thehand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above the lower end.

The suction motor may be positioned above at least a portion of the airtreatment member when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upperend above the lower end.

The suction motor may overlie at least a portion of the air treatmentmember when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end abovethe lower end.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter. The suctionmotor may be positioned forward of the pre-motor filter when the handvacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above the lower end.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a handle having a hand grip portionthat extends upwardly and forwardly when the central longitudinal axisis oriented horizontally.

The handle may be positioned rearward of the suction motor.

When the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above thelower end, the handle may have a lower portion and an upper portion andthe lower end of the handle may be positioned at an elevation of apre-motor filter and the upper portion of the handle may be positionedat an elevation of the suction motor.

The handle may house at least one energy storage member in a lowerportion thereof.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,a hand vacuum cleaner has a suction motor whose axis of rotation isgenerally parallel to a central longitudinal axis of an air treatmentmember (e.g., ±20°, ±15°, ±10°, or ±5°) and when the hand vacuum cleaneris oriented with the upper end above the lower end, the suction motoraxis is positioned forwardly, e.g., in front of the rearward side of aporous pre-motor filter media.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may be powered by an onboard energy storage member, such as one or more batteries. Some or allof the batteries may be provided in the handle of the hand vacuumcleaner and, optionally, at least in a lower portion of the handle.

An advantage of this configuration is that a hand vacuum cleaner withimproved ergonomics may be provided. As such, the hand vacuum cleanermay have an improved hand feel when used by a person.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided, a hand vacuum cleanerhaving an upper end and a lower end may include a suction motor and fanassembly having a forward end, a rearward end and suction motor axis ofrotation, and an air treatment member having a front end, a rear end anda central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends. Apre-motor filter media may have a forward portion and a rearward portionand the rear end of the suction motor may be positioned forward of therearward portion of the pre-motor filter media. The suction motor axisof rotation and the central longitudinal axis may be generallyhorizontal when the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned on a horizontalsurface.

The air treatment member has a height in a direction orthogonal to thecentral longitudinal axis and the pre-motor filter media has a height inthe direction orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis that may begreater than the height of the air treatment member.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis may be a cyclone axis. The cyclone may have a heightin a direction orthogonal to the cyclone axis and the pre-motor filtermedia may have a height in the direction orthogonal to the cyclone axisthat is greater than the height of the cyclone.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the teachings describedherein, when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper endabove the lower end, the suction motor axis is positioned forwardly,e.g., in front of the rearward side of a porous pre-motor filter mediawhereby the air inlet end of the suction motor is a rearward end of thesuction motor. The suction motor may be provided in an upper portion ofthe hand vacuum cleaner, e.g., above a central axis of the air treatmentmember or higher.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may be powered by an onboard energy storage member, such as one or more batteries. Some or allof the batteries may be provided in the handle of the hand vacuumcleaner and, optionally, at least in a lower portion of the handle.

An advantage of this configuration is that a hand vacuum cleaner withimproved ergonomics may be provided. As such, the hand vacuum cleanermay have an improved hand feel when used by a person.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving an upper end and a lower end may include a suction motor and fanassembly having a forward end, a rearward end and suction motor axis ofrotation and an air treatment member having a front end, a rear end anda central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends. Apre-motor filter media may have a forward portion and a rearward portionand the rear end of the suction motor may be an air inlet end of thesuction motor.

The air treatment member may have a height in a direction orthogonal tothe central longitudinal axis and the pre-motor filter media may have aheight in the direction orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis thatmay be greater than the height of the air treatment member.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis may be a cyclone axis. The cyclone may have a heightin a direction orthogonal to the cyclone axis and the pre-motor filtermedia may have a height in the direction orthogonal to the cyclone axisthat is greater than the height of the cyclone.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,a hand vacuum cleaner is provided with a pre-motor filter that isaccessible while the air treatment member, e.g., a cyclone chamber, isprovided on a main body of the hand vacuum cleaner. Accordingly, the airtreatment member may be in an “in use” position when an access door to apre-motor filter chamber is opened (e.g., pivoted opened or removed) sothat a porous pre-motor filter media may be removed for cleaning orreplacement.

An advantage of this design is that the pre-motor filter may be accessedwithout having to remove the air treatment member.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving an upper end and a lower end, may include a suction motor and fanassembly having a front end, a rear end and a suction motor axis ofrotation and an air treatment member having a front end and a rear endand a central longitudinal axis extending between the front and rearends. The central longitudinal axis may extend generally horizontallywhen the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above thelower end. A pre-motor filter housing may have a front end, a rear end,an upper end, a lower end, spaced apart opposed lateral sides extendingbetween the front end and the rear end and an openable door. A pre-motorfilter media may be provided in the pre-motor housing and may beremovable when the door is opened. The pre-motor filter media may have afront side and a rear side. The openable door may be openable while theair treatment member is provided on the hand vacuum cleaner.

The openable door may be provided on the lower end of the pre-motorfilter housing.

The openable door may include a base of the hand vacuum cleaner when thehand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above the lower end.

The pre-motor filter may include a longitudinally extending filter mediahaving a hollow interior and a longitudinal filter axis.

The longitudinal filter axis may be generally orthogonal to the centrallongitudinal axis.

The openable door may be provided on the rear end of the pre-motorfilter housing.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a handle mounted to the rear end ofthe pre-motor filter housing and the door may be openable with thehandle mounted thereto.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a handle that is removably mountedto the rear end of the pre-motor filter housing and the door may beopenable with the handle mounted thereto.

The handle may house at least one energy storage member.

The handle may include a hand grip portion that extends upwardly andforwardly when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper endabove the lower end and the central longitudinal axis may intersect thehandle.

The openable door may overlie a side of the pre-motor filter media thatextends in a direction of airflow through the pre-motor filter media.

The openable door may be provided on one of the lateral sides of thepre-motor filter housing.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis may be a cyclone axis.

In accordance with this aspect, there is also provided a hand vacuumcleaner may include a suction motor and fan assembly having a front end,a rear end and a suction motor axis of rotation and an air treatmentmember having a front end and a rear end and a central longitudinal axisextending between the front and rear ends. A pre-motor filter housingmay have an upper end and a lower end and the lower end may include abottom openable door. A pre-motor filter media may be provided in thepre-motor housing and may be removable when the door is opened. Thepre-motor filter media may have a front side and a rear side.

The openable door may include a base of the hand vacuum cleaner when thehand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above the lower end.

The pre-motor filter may include a longitudinally extending filter mediahaving a hollow interior and a longitudinal filter axis.

The longitudinal filter axis may be generally orthogonal to the centrallongitudinal axis.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis may be a cyclone axis.

In accordance with this aspect, there is also provided, a hand vacuumcleaner may include a suction motor and fan assembly having a front end,a rear end and a suction motor axis of rotation and an air treatmentmember having a front end and a rear end and a central longitudinal axisextending between the front and rear ends. A pre-motor filter housingmay have a front end and a rear end that includes an openable door. Apre-motor filter media may be provided in the pre-motor housing and maybe removable when the door is opened. The pre-motor filter media mayhave a front side and a rear side. The openable door may be openablewhile the air treatment member is provided on the hand vacuum cleaner.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a handle mounted to the rear end ofthe pre-motor filter housing and the door may be openable with thehandle mounted thereto.

The handle may include a hand grip portion that extends upwardly andforwardly when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper endabove the lower end and the central longitudinal axis may intersect thehandle.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis may be a cyclone axis.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,a hand vacuum cleaner has a front openable door for emptying a dirtcollection area wherein an axis of the air treatment member extendsrearwardly to intersect an upwardly extending hand grip of a handle.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanerhaving an upper end and a lower end may include a suction motor and fanassembly having a suction motor axis of rotation and an air treatmentmember having a front end, a rear end, an openable door and a centrallongitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends. A handlemay have a having a hand grip portion that extends upwardly andforwardly when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper endabove the lower end. The central longitudinal axis may intersect theopenable door and the hand grip portion.

In some embodiments, the hand vacuum cleaner may be powered by an onboard energy storage member, such as one or more batteries. Some or allof the batteries may be provided in the handle of the hand vacuumcleaner and, optionally, at least in a lower portion of the handle.

An advantage of this configuration is that a hand vacuum cleaner withimproved ergonomics may be provided. As such, the hand vacuum cleanermay have an improved hand feel when used by a person.

The openable door may be provided at the front end of the air treatmentmember.

The openable door may extend in a plane that is generally orthogonal tothe central longitudinal axis.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter and the centrallongitudinal axis may also intersect the pre-motor filter.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter provided in apre-motor filter chamber. The pre-motor filter chamber may have apre-motor filter chamber inlet that is located below a pre-motor filterchamber outlet when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upperend above the lower end.

The suction motor may be vertically spaced from the central longitudinalaxis.

The suction motor may be positioned above the central longitudinal axiswhen the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end above thelower end.

An air outlet of the suction motor may be positioned above the centrallongitudinal axis when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with theupper end above the lower end.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter and air maytravel upwardly from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter and air maytravel forwardly from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone and the centrallongitudinal axis is a cyclone axis.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a dirt collection chamber externalto the cyclone and the dirt collection chamber may be vertically spacedfrom the central longitudinal axis.

The openable door may extend in a plane that is generally orthogonal tothe central longitudinal axis.

The openable door may include a forward most wall of the air treatmentmember.

An upper end of the hand grip portion may be positioned closer to thesuction motor than a lower end of the hand grip portion.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a dirty air inlet that is positionedabove the air treatment member.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include an air inlet conduit having an inletconduit axis that intersects the suction motor.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include an inlet conduit having an inletconduit axis that is generally parallel to the central longitudinalaxis.

The inlet conduit axis may be positioned above the air treatment member.

The handle may be removable mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner, e.g., amain body thereof, and may house at least one energy storage member.

In accordance with another broad aspects of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,an assembly is removably mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner (e.g., amain body thereof) wherein the assembly houses an air treatment memberand a porous pre-motor filter media, and may also include the suctionmotor.

An advantage of this design is that the main body may have an air inletthat is removably mounted to, e.g., a rigid air flow conduit that isdrivingly connected to a surface cleaning head. As the air inlet is partof the main body, e.g., it may be a one piece assembly therewith or maybe integrally formed therewith, the main body and the air inlet providea structural component that may withstand stresses imposed when the handvacuum cleaner handle is used to propel the surface cleaning head.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanermay have a main body having an upper end, a lower end and a handle. Theupper end may have a dirty air inlet and a handle. The handle may have ahand grip portion that extends upwardly and forwardly. A suction motorand fan assembly may have a suction motor axis of rotation. An assemblymay be removably mounted to the main body and may include the airtreatment member and a pre-motor filter media.

The air treatment member may have a front end, a rear end, and a centrallongitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends. The centrallongitudinal axis may extend generally horizontally when the hand gripportion is oriented upwardly and forwardly.

Air may travel upwardly from the assembly to the main body.

An assembly air inlet and an assembly air outlet may be provided in anupper surface of the assembly.

The assembly air inlet may be positioned forward of the assembly airoutlet.

An assembly air inlet may be provided in upper surface of the assemblyand an assembly air outlet may be provided in the rear end of theassembly.

The air treatment member may have a front end, a rear end, and a centrallongitudinal axis extending between the front and rear ends mayintersect the hand grip portion.

An upper end of the hand grip portion may be positioned closer to thesuction motor than a lower end of the hand grip portion.

The lower end of the handle may house at least one energy storagemember.

The air treatment member may have an air inlet that is located in anupper portion of the air treatment member.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include an air inlet conduit and air maytravel downwardly from the inlet conduit to the air treatment member.

The hand vacuum cleaner may include a pre-motor filter chamber having anopenable door. The pre-motor filter may be positioned in the pre-motorfilter chamber and the pre-motor filter door may be accessible when theassembly is attached to the main body.

The pre-motor filter door may be openable when the assembly is mountedto the main body with an airflow passage from the assembly to the mainbody sealed.

The suction motor may be provided in the main body.

The assembly may include the suction motor.

The central longitudinal axis may be positioned below the suction motorwhen the hand grip portion may be oriented upwardly and forwardly.

The air treatment member may include a cyclone.

The dirty air inlet may be positioned above the air treatment member.

The handle may be removably mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner.

The handle may house at least one energy storage member.

In accordance with another broad aspects of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,a surface cleaning apparatus has a removable assembly which includes adirt collection area and a door that is openable to allow the dirtcollection area to be emptied. When the assembly is removed, a user mayoperate a first actuator (e.g., press a button) to move a lock to anunlocked position so that the door may be opened. When the assembly isattached to the remainder of the surface cleaning apparatus (e.g., in an“in use” position), the first actuator may be concealed. The user maythen operate a second actuator (e.g., press a different button) to openthe door. The second actuator is operatively, e.g., drivingly, connectedto the lock, e.g., top the first actuator, so as to unlock the door whenactuated.

An advantage of this design is that a user will nor perceive two unlockbutton when assembly is attached to the remainder of the surfacecleaning apparatus and therefore provide a better consumer interface.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a hand vacuum cleanermay include a main body having a main body actuator operable between anopen position and a closed position and an assembly removably mounted tothe main body. The assembly may include an air treatment member havingan openable door and an assembly door lock. The assembly door lock mayinclude an actuation portion operable between an open position and aclosed position and lock portion operable between an engaged position inwhich the door is secured in a closed position and a disengaged positionin which the door is openable. When the assembly is mounted to the mainbody, the main body actuator may be operative connected to the actuationportion of the assembly door lock whereby when the main body actuator ismoved from the closed position to the open position, the actuationportion is moved to the open position and the lock portion is moved tothe disengaged position.

The actuation portion of the assembly door lock may be inaccessible whenthe assembly is mounted to the main body.

The actuation portion of the assembly door lock may be accessible whenthe assembly is removed from the main body.

The main body actuator may be a mechanical member.

The main body actuator may include an actuation portion provided on anouter surface of the surface cleaning apparatus and a driven end. Thedriven end may be drivingly engageable with the actuation portion of theassembly door lock when the main body actuator is moved from the closedposition to the open position.

The main body actuator may include a longitudinally extending memberhaving the actuation portion of the main body actuator provided at oneend and the driven end of the main body actuator provided at an opposedend.

The longitudinally extending member may have a fixed length.

The assembly door lock may be a mechanical member.

The assembly door lock may be pivotally mounted wherein the actuationportion of the assembly door lock is provided on one side of a pivotmount and the lock portion of the assembly door lock is provided on anopposed side of the pivot mount.

The assembly door lock may be biased to the engaged position.

The main body actuator may extend in a first direction and the assemblydoor lock may extend in a second direction different to the firstdirection.

The first direction may be orthogonal the second direction.

When the main body actuator is moved from the open position and theclosed position, the lock portion may be moved in a different directionto the main body actuator.

The lock portion may be moved in an opposite direction to the main bodyactuator.

The main body actuator may include an actuation portion and a drivenend. When the main body actuator is moved from the open position and theclosed position, the lock portion is moved in a different direction tothe driven end.

The lock portion may be moved in an opposite direction to the main bodyactuator.

The surface cleaning apparatus may include a hand vacuum cleaner and theopenable door may be a front door of the air treatment member.

A handle that is removably mounted to a rear end of the surface cleaningapparatus may be provided.

The handle may house at least one energy storage member.

In accordance with another broad aspect of the teachings describedherein, which may be used alone or in combination with any other aspect,a hand vacuum cleaner may be provided with a removable handle. Theremovable handle may house one or more energy storage members. Thehandle may be connectable to other appliances so as to power thatappliance.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a handle with anintegrated rechargeable battery pack may include a grip portion havingtop and bottom ends and being configured to be gripped by a hand of auser between the top and bottom ends.

At least one rechargeable battery may be coupled to at least one of thetop and bottom ends of the grip portion. At least one mechanicalattachment may be coupled to at least one of the top and bottom ends ofthe grip portion for mechanically engaging and attaching to a powereddevice. At least one electrical connector m a y b e coupled to at leastone of the top and bottom ends of the grip portion for electricallyconnecting the at least one rechargeable battery to the powered device.

The at least one rechargeable battery may indude top and bottomrechargeable batteries coupled to the top and bottom ends of the gripportion, respectively.

The top and bottom rechargeable batteries may be substantially the samemass.

The handle may include top and bottom battery housings integral with thetop and bottom ends of the grip portion, respectively, and wherein thetop and bottom rechargeable batteries are located in the top and bottombattery housings, respectively.

The electrical connector may extend from one of the top and bottomhousings. The mechanical attachment may be located on one of the top andbottom housings.

The electrical connector may extend from the top housing and themechanical attachment may be located on the top housing.

The at least one mechanical attachment may be coupled to the top end ofthe grip portion. The at least one electrical connector may be attachedto the top end of the grip portion.

The handle may include at least one control button on one of thehousings or on the grip portion.

The control button may control power to the powered device from therechargeable battery.

The handle may include electronics located inside the grip.

The handle may include at least one control button electricallyconnected to the internal electronics and configured to control at leasta power on and off function.

The internal electronics may include control button circuitry configuredto receive an identification of the powered device when the removablehandle is attached and configured to provide a control signal tocircuitry in the powered device in response to activation of the controlbutton.

The control button may activate different functions in different powereddevices.

The handle may include a display coupled to the control button circuitryand configured to display at least a function of the control button.

The electronics may include charge management circuitry electricallyconnected to the rechargeable battery.

The charge management circuitry may be configured to store differentpower profiles corresponding to different powered devices and isconfigured to activate a power profile in response to detecting thepowered device when the handle is connected .

The rechargeable battery may be a Li-ion battery.

At least the grip portion may define an air flow path, and the air flowpath may be fluidly coupled to an air exhaust when connected to a vacuumcleaner device.

The grip portion, the top battery housing and the bottom battery housingmay define an air flow path allowing air flow along the batteries toprovide heat transfer to or from the batteries. The air flow path may befluidly coupled to an air exhaust when connected to a vacuum cleanerdevice.

The handle may include a trigger on the grip portion for powering on andoff.

In accordance with this aspect, a vacuum cleaning apparatus may includea vacuum unit including at least a suction source and a dirt collectionchamber, and a removable handle with an integrated rechargeable batterypack configured to be removably attached to at least one end of thevacuum unit.

The vacuum cleaning apparatus may also include a removable wandconfigured to be removably attached to at least another end of thevacuum unit.

The removable wand may be configured to be coupled between the vacuumunit and the removable handle.

A center of gravity of the removable handle with integrated battery packmay be proximate a twist axis of the vacuum unit that extends generallyalong the removable wand when coupled to the vacuum unit.

The suction source may be a suction motor and a center of gravity of thesuction motor may be proximate the twist axis of the vacuum unit.

At least a top end of the removable handle may be configured to becoupled to the vacuum unit and the removable wand.

The vacuum unit may exhaust into the removable handle when attached.

In accordance with this aspect, a vacuum cleaning apparatus may includea vacuum unit having a back end and a front end and including at a leastsuction motor and a dirt collection chamber between the back end and thefront end. A handle may be proximate the back end of the vacuum unit.The handle may include a grip portion, a top rechargeable battery at atop end of the grip portion, and a bottom rechargeable battery at abottom end of the grip portion. The top and bottom rechargeablebatteries may be arranged such that a center of gravity is proximate atwist axis of the vacuum unit.

The suction motor may be located in front of the handle and is arrangedsuch that a center of gravity of the mot or is proximate the twist axis.

The handle may be removable.

The front end of the vacuum unit may be configured to attach to a vacuumwand, and the twist axis extends along the vacuum wand.

The top and bottom rechargeable batteries have substantially the samemass.

In accordance with this aspect, an air cooled battery charger assemblymay include a battery charging unit including an air flow device; and ahandle with integrated an rechargeable battery pack configured to bemechanically attached and electrically connected to the battery chargingunit for charging. The handle defining an air flow path that is fluidlycoupled with the air flow device when the handle is attached to thebattery charging unit such that the air flow device causes air to flowthrough the handle to maintain a temperature of the rechargeable batterypack during charging.

The handle may include a grip portion and top and bottom batteryhousings at top and bottom ends, respectively, of the grip portion. Therechargeable battery pack may include first and second battery packsconnected in series and located in the top and bottom battery housings,respectively.

The air flow path may extend through at least the top and bottom batteryhousings.

The air flow device may include a fan.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings included herewith are for illustrating various examples ofarticles, methods, and apparatuses of the teaching of the presentspecification and are not intended to limit the scope of what is taughtin any way.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a surface cleaning apparatus inaccordance with at least one embodiment and mounted to a rigid air flowconduit (e.g., an above floor cleaning wand) and surface cleaning headin a stickvac configuration;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a portion of the surface cleaningapparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 2 with the handle detached;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 2, taken along line 5-5;

FIG. 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the surface cleaningapparatus of FIG. 1, with a portion of the apparatus detached;

FIG. 7 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the surface cleaningapparatus of FIG. 1, with a different portion of the apparatus detached;

FIG. 8 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the surface cleaningapparatus of FIG. 1, with a different portion of the apparatus detached;

FIG. 9 is a perspective cross-sectional view of another embodiment of asurface cleaning apparatus, with a portion of the apparatus detached;

FIG. 10 is a perspective cross-sectional view of another embodiment of asurface cleaning apparatus, with a portion of the apparatus detached;

FIG. 11 is a perspective cross-sectional view of another embodiment of asurface cleaning apparatus;

FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of asurface cleaning apparatus;

FIG. 13 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of asurface cleaning apparatus;

FIG. 14 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a surfacecleaning apparatus;

FIG. 16 is a side cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatusof FIG. 15, taken along line 16-16;

FIG. 17 is a rear perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a front perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 15 with the handle detached;

FIG. 19 is a rear perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 15 with the handle detached;

FIG. 20 is a front perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 15 with a portion of the air treatment member removed;

FIG. 21 is a lower front perspective view of a portion of the surfacecleaning apparatus illustrated in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of asurface cleaning apparatus;

FIG. 23 is a side cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatusof FIG. 22, with a portion of the air treatment member open;

FIG. 24 is a top front perspective view of a portion of the surfacecleaning apparatus of FIG. 22, with a portion of the air treatmentmember open;

FIG. 25 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a surfacecleaning apparatus;

FIG. 26 is a rear perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 25, taken along line 25-25;

FIG. 28 is a rear perspective view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 25, with a pre-motor filter housing open;

FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 25, with a portion of the apparatus detached;

FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 25, with a different portion of the apparatus detached;

FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 25, with a different portion of the apparatus detached;

FIG. 32 is a bottom perspective view of another embodiment of a surfacecleaning apparatus with a pre-motor filter chamber open and pre-motorfilter removed;

FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 32, taken along line 33-33, with the pre-motor filter positionedpartially within the pre-motor filter chamber.

FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a surfacecleaning apparatus, with the pre-motor filter positioned partiallywithin the pre-motor filter chamber;

FIG. 35 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a surfacecleaning apparatus;

FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 35, taken along line 36-36;

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a surfacecleaning apparatus;

FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view of the surface cleaning apparatus ofFIG. 37, taken along line 38-38;

FIG. 39 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of asurface cleaning apparatus;

FIG. 40 is a perspective view of an above floor cleaning wand;

FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning wand of FIG. 40, takenalong line 40-40;

FIG. 42 is a side view of another embodiment of a surface cleaningapparatus mounted to a wand and surface cleaning head in a stickvacconfiguration;

FIG. 43 is a side view of the surface cleaning apparatus of FIG. 42 inan alternate configuration;

FIG. 44 illustrates a handle used in combination with a variety ofdifferent apparatuses; and

FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a handle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various apparatuses or processes will be described below to provide anexample of an embodiment of each claimed invention. No embodimentdescribed below limits any claimed invention and any claimed inventionmay cover processes or apparatuses that differ from those describedbelow. The claimed inventions are not limited to apparatuses orprocesses having all of the features of any one apparatus or processdescribed below or to features common to multiple or all of theapparatuses described below. It is possible that an apparatus or processdescribed below is not an embodiment of any claimed invention. Anyinvention disclosed in an apparatus or process described below that isnot claimed in this document may be the subject matter of anotherprotective instrument, for example, a continuing patent application, andthe applicants, inventors or owners do not intend to abandon, disclaimor dedicate to the public any such invention by its disclosure in thisdocument.

The terms “an embodiment,” “embodiment,” “embodiments,” “theembodiment,” “the embodiments,” “one or more embodiments,” “someembodiments,” and “one embodiment” mean “one or more (but not all)embodiments of the present invention(s),” unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The terms “including,” “comprising” and variations thereof mean“including but not limited to,” unless expressly specified otherwise. Alisting of items does not imply that any or all of the items aremutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,”“an” and “the” mean “one or more,” unless expressly specified otherwise.

As used herein and in the claims, two or more parts are said to be“coupled”, “connected”, “attached”, or “fastened” where the parts arejoined or operate together either directly or indirectly (i.e., throughone or more intermediate parts), so long as a link occurs. As usedherein and in the claims, two or more parts are said to be “directlycoupled”, “directly connected”, “directly attached”, or “directlyfastened” where the parts are connected in physical contact with eachother. As used herein, two or more parts are said to be “rigidlycoupled”, “rigidly connected”, “rigidly attached”, or “rigidly fastened”where the parts are coupled so as to move as one while maintaining aconstant orientation relative to each other. None of the terms“coupled”, “connected”, “attached”, and “fastened” distinguish themanner in which two or more parts are joined together.

General Description of a Vacuum Cleaner

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 8, a first embodiment of a surface cleaningapparatus 100 is shown. The following is a general discussion of thisembodiment which provides a basis for understanding several of thefeatures which are discussed herein. As discussed in detailsubsequently, each of the features may be used in other embodiments.

In the embodiment illustrated, the surface cleaning apparatus 100 is ahand-held vacuum cleaner, which is commonly referred to as a “handvacuum cleaner” or a “handvac”. As used herein, a hand-held vacuumcleaner or hand vacuum cleaner or handvac is a vacuum cleaner that canbe operated generally one-handedly to clean a surface while its weightis held by the same one hand. This is contrasted with upright andcanister vacuum cleaners, the weight of which is supported by a surface(e.g. floor below) during use. Optionally, surface cleaning apparatus100 could be removably mountable on a base so as to form, for example,an upright vacuum cleaner, a canister vacuum cleaner, a stick vac, awet-dry vacuum cleaner and the like.

Optionally, the hand vacuum 100 can be mounted to a base, such as base102 in FIG. 1, (either removably or in a fixed manner) so as to form,for example, an upright vacuum cleaner, a canister vacuum cleaner, astick vac, a wet-dry vacuum cleaner and the like. In the illustratedexample, the base of the surface cleaning apparatus includes a surfacecleaning head and an elongate wand. In this configuration, the surfacecleaning apparatus can be used to clean a floor or other surface in amanner analogous to a conventional upright-style vacuum cleaner.

Power can be supplied to the surface cleaning apparatus 100 by anoptional electrical cord 104 (FIG. 2) that can be connected to astandard wall electrical outlet. Alternatively, or in addition, thepower source for the surface cleaning apparatus can be one or moreonboard energy storage members, including, for example, one or morebatteries.

As exemplified in FIGS. 1-8 the surface cleaning apparatus 100 maycomprise a main body 106 having housing 108 and a handle 110, at leastone air treatment member 112 connected to the main body 106, a dirty airinlet 114, a clean air outlet 116, and an air flow path extendingbetween the inlet 114 and outlet 116. Surface cleaning apparatusincludes a front end 118, a rear end 120, an upper end 122, and a lowerend/bottom 123 (FIGS. 2 and 3). In the embodiment shown, the dirty airinlet 114 is at the front end 118 and the clean air outlet 116 is at theupper end 122. A suction motor 124 (FIG. 5) is provided to generatevacuum suction through the air flow path, and is positioned within amotor housing 125. The suction motor may be upstream or downstream fromthe air treatment member, and in the illustrated embodiment isdownstream.

The at least one at least one air treatment member 112 is configured totreat the air in a desired manner, including, for example, removing dirtparticles and other debris from the air flow. The air treatment member112 may be provided upstream or downstream from the suction motor, andmay be any suitable member that can treat the air. Optionally, the airtreatment member 112 may include at least one cyclonic cleaning stage,and may in some instances include two or more cyclonic cleaning stagesarranged in series with each other. Each cyclonic cleaning stage mayinclude a cyclone unit that has one or more cyclone chambers (arrangedin parallel or series with each other) and one or more dirt collectionchambers, of any suitable configuration. The dirt collection chambersmay be external to the cyclone chambers, or may be internal the cyclonechamber and configured as a dirt collection area or region within thecyclone chamber. Alternatively, the air treatment member need notinclude a cyclonic cleaning stage, and can incorporate a bag, a porousphysical filter media (such as foam or felt) or other air treatingmeans.

Referring also to FIG. 5, in the illustrated embodiment the hand vacuum100 includes an air treatment member 112 in the form of a cyclone unit126 that is provided upstream from the suction motor 124. The cycloneunit 126 includes a cyclone chamber 128 and an external dirt collectionchamber 130. The cyclone chamber 128 and dirt collection chamber 130 maybe of any configuration suitable for separating dirt from an air streamand collecting the separated dirt, respectively. The cyclone chamber 128may be oriented in any direction, including those described in moredetail herein. For example, when surface cleaning apparatus is orientedwith the upper end 122 above the lower end 123, e.g. positioned with abottom that is generally planar and is generally parallel to ahorizontal surface, a central axis of the air treatment member 112,exemplified as a cyclone axis 132 of rotation in the illustratedembodiments, may be oriented horizontally as exemplified in thisembodiment (FIG. 5), vertically (FIG. 38), or at any angle betweenhorizontal and vertical (see FIG. 39).

Optionally, one or more pre-motor filters may be placed in the air flowpath between the air treatment member 112 and the suction motor 124.Alternatively, or in addition, one or more post-motor filters may beprovided downstream from the suction motor 124.

As exemplified in FIGS. 5 and 6, the hand vacuum 100 includes apre-motor filter housing 134 that is positioned in the air flow pathdownstream of air treatment member 112. Pre-motor filter housing 134 maybe of any suitable construction, including any of those exemplifiedherein. A pre-motor filter 136, formed from any suitable physical,porous filter media and having any suitable shape, is positioned withinthe pre-motor filter housing 134

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the clean air outlet 116 is providedas part of the main body 106, and includes a grill 138. In this example,the grill 138 is oriented such that air exiting the clear air outlet 116travels generally upwardly from the upper end 122 of the hand vacuum100, and it forms part of an optional post-motor filter housing 140. Inthe illustrated embodiment, a post-motor filter 142 is provided withinthe housing 140 to help further treat the air passing through the handvacuum 100. The illustrated post-motor filter 142 is a physical foammedia filter, but optionally the post-motor filters may be any suitabletype of filter and may include foam filters, felt filters, HEPA filters,other physical filter media, electrostatic filters and the like.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the dirty air inlet 114 of the hand vacuum100 is the inlet end of an inlet conduit 146. Dirty air inlet 114 may bepositioned forward of the air treatment member 112 as shown. Optionally,the inlet end of the conduit 146 can be used as a nozzle to directlyclean a surface. The air inlet conduit 146 is, in this example, agenerally linear member that extends along a conduit axis 148 that isoriented in a longitudinal forward/backward direction and is generallyhorizontal when the hand vacuum cleaner is oriented with the upper end122 above the lower end 123. Alternatively, or in addition tofunctioning as a nozzle, the inlet conduit 146 can be connected ordirectly connected to the downstream end of any suitable accessory toolsuch, including as a rigid air flow conduit (e.g., an above floorcleaning wand), crevice tool, mini brush or the like.

For example, FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of a stickvac cleaningapparatus (e.g. a stickvac) that incorporates hand vacuum 100 and isconfigured so that the inlet conduit 146 is directly connected to theupper end 149 of a rigid cleaning wand 150. The lower end 152 of thecleaning wand 150 is pivotally, and optionally pivotally and steeringly,connected to a surface cleaning head 154. In this arrangement the handle110 can be used to manipulate the hand vacuum cleaner 100 when the handvacuum cleaner 100 is detached from the wand 150, and can be used tomanipulate the combination of the hand vacuum 100 and the wand 150, orthe combination of the hand vacuum 100, wand 150 and surface cleaninghead 154 (i.e. the stickvac) depending on the mode in which the surfacecleaning apparatus is used.

The surface cleaning head 154 can be of any suitable design, and mayinclude a variety of features, such as rotating brushes, lights and thelike. In the illustrated example, the surface cleaning head includes abody 156, a pair of rear wheels 158 connected to the body to rollinglysupport the surface cleaning head 154 above a surface to be cleaned, anda cleaning head dirty air inlet 160 in the downward facing lower bodysurface. The surface cleaning head 154 also includes a support member162 that is pivotally connected to the body 156. The lower end 152 ofthe wand 150 can be connected to the support member 162, whereby thewand is movable relative to the surface cleaning head, about a pivotaxis 164, between a generally upright storage position (FIG. 1), and aninclined use position. In the illustrated example, the support member162 is provided in the form of an upflow duct that is in fluidcommunication with the cleaning head dirty air inlet 160. The lower end152 of the wand 150 is configured to receive the upflow duct 162 (oroptionally vice versa) and to fluidly connect the surface cleaning head154 to the hand vacuum 100.

Optionally, the wand 150 may also be movable in at least one otherdegree of freedom relative to the surface cleaning head 154 to helpfacilitate steering of the surface cleaning head 154. For example, thewand 150 may be rotatably connected to the support member so that thewand can rotate about its longitudinal axis 166 relative to the surfacecleaning head 154. Alternatively, or in addition, the wand 150 may bepivotable about a different, second pivot axis 168 relative to thesurface cleaning head 154. Optionally, the second pivot axis 168 may begenerally orthogonal to the pivot axis 164, and may be oriented in agenerally forward/backward direction (either generally horizontally orinclined relative to a horizontal plane), as illustrated in theembodiment of FIG. 1.

The wand 150 may be any suitable member that can provide the desiredstructural connection between the hand vacuum 100 and the surfacecleaning head 154. Preferably, the wand 150 can be configured as an airflow conduit that provides the fluid communication between the surfacecleaning head 154 and the hand vacuum 100. Alternatively, the wand 150may include a structural member and a separate air flow connectionmember (such as a flexible hose or the like). In the illustratedexample, the wand 150 is a rigid fluid conduit that provides bothstructural and air flow connections between the hand vacuum 100 and thesurface cleaning head 154. The wand 150 may be made from metal, plasticand/or any other suitable material.

Optionally, the lower end 152 of the wand 150 can be detachablyconnected to the support member 162, using any means, including afriction fit, suitable latch 170, locking mechanism or the like.Providing a detachable connection may allow the wand 150 to be separatefrom the surface cleaning head 154 for maintenance and/or for use inabove floor cleaning. In such a configuration, the upstream end 152 ofthe wand 150 can function as an auxiliary dirty air inlet.

Preferably, the hand vacuum 100 can be detachably connected to theopposing upper end 149 of the wand 150, for example using latch 170, sothat the hand vacuum 100 can be detached, and used independently fromthe wand 150 and/or surface cleaning head 154. Providing detachableconnections at both ends of the wand 150 may help facilitate use of thesurface cleaning apparatus 100 in at least three different operatingmodes: i) an upright cleaning mode in which both the surface cleaninghead and hand vacuum are attached to the wand and there is an air flowpath extending from the dirty air inlet in the surface cleaning head tothe hand vacuum and including the wand; ii) a first above floor cleaningmode in which the wand is detached from the surface cleaning head and anair flow path extends from the auxiliary dirty air inlet to the handvacuum cleaner; and iii) a second above floor cleaning mode in which thehand vacuum is detached from the upper end of the wand and the nozzle isused to directly clean a surface and/or is connected to one or moreauxiliary cleaning tools (such as a hose, crevice tool, upholstery brushand the like).

Optionally, power can be supplied to the surface cleaning apparatus bythe electrical cord connected to the hand vacuum (FIG. 2) that can beconnected to a standard wall electrical outlet. The cord 104 mayoptionally be detachable from the hand vacuum 100. Alternatively, or inaddition, the power source for the surface cleaning apparatus can be anonboard energy storage device which may include, for example, one ormore batteries. In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the hand vacuum includes onboard power sources in the form of battery packs 174 provided in thehandle 110. The battery packs 174 are described in further detailherein. In some examples, the surface cleaning head 154 may include arotating brush and brush motor 172 (FIG. 1), lights or other suchfeatures that require power. Optionally, power can be provided to thesurface cleaning head 154 from the hand vacuum 100 via the wand 150,which may be configured to electrically connect the hand vacuum 100 tothe surface cleaning head 154. Alternatively, or in addition toreceiving power for the hand vacuum 100 via the wand 150, the surfacecleaning head 154 may include its own battery pack 174.

In the embodiments of FIG. 5, and others illustrated herein (FIGS.9-13), the pre-motor filter housing 134 and the suction motor housing125 are both positioned rearward of the air treatment member 112 andforward of the handle 110. Alternatively, in other embodiments, such asthose illustrated in FIGS. 27, 33 and 36, the main body 106 may beconfigured so that the pre-motor filter housing 134 is positionedrearward of the air treatment member 112 (and forward of the handle110), but the suction motor housing 125 is positioned forward of boththe pre-motor filter housing 134 and the handle 110. In thisconfiguration, some or all of the suction motor housing 125 may bepositioned above the air treatment member 112. For example, in theembodiment of FIG. 27, the suction motor housing 125 is positionedforward of the pre-motor filter housing 134 and is above and overlies anupper portion of a sidewall 188 of the cyclone chamber 128. In thisembodiment, and the embodiments of Figure the suction motor 124 is alsoabove and overlies the dirt collection chamber 130. In this arrangement,the suction motor housing 125 is rearward of the air inlet conduit 146.Positioning the suction motor housing 125, and the suction motor 124therein, forward of the pre-motor filter housing 134 may alter thecentre of gravity and hand feel of the hand vacuum 100 when in use. Thisconfiguration may also help facilitate the use of a relatively largepre-motor filter housing 134, and a pre-motor filter 136 with arelatively large upstream surface area, while helping to reduce theoverall size of the hand vacuum 100.

Cyclone Unit

The following is a description of cyclone units that may be used bythemselves in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any combination orsub-combination with any other feature or features described herein. Forexample, any cyclone unit described herein may be used with any of thedirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber, emptying methods, pre-motorfilter housings, pre-motor filters, removable component configurations,component configurations, dual mode operable door lock, handleconfigurations, on-board power source arrangements, wands, surfacecleaning heads, information display devices, power switches andcontrols, air flow configurations, suction motors, reconfigurablevacuums, clean air outlet configurations, onboard chargers, poweroperating modes and other features described herein.

Referring to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the cyclone unit 126 used in thehand vacuum 100 can optionally be a cyclone with unidirectional air flowor a “uniflow” cyclone chamber 128 (i.e. where the air inlet and airoutlets are at opposite ends of the cyclone chamber). The cyclonechamber 128 includes a cyclone air inlet 178 in fluid communication withthe inlet conduit 146, a cyclone air outlet 180 and a dirt outlet 182that is in communication with the dirt collection chamber 130.

Optionally, the uniflow cyclone chamber 128 may be generallyhorizontally oriented so that the cyclone air inlet 178 is locatedtoward the front end 118 of the hand vacuum 100, and the cyclone airoutlet 180 spaced rearwardly behind the cyclone air inlet 178, at a rearend of the cyclone chamber 128. In this embodiment, the cyclone airoutlet 180 is adjacent and faces other portions of the hand vacuum 100.For example, in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-8, 9, 10, 11, 12,22, 27, 33 and 36 the cyclone air outlet 180 is directly adjacent thepre-motor filter housing 134 and faces one side (e.g., upstream ordownstream side) of the pre-motor filter media 136.

One advantage of this design is that the cyclone air inlet 178 may be atangential air inlet that is used to redirect the air from the inletconduit 146 to the cyclone chamber 128 and the air may exit the cyclonechamber 128 and travel linearly (rearwardly) to the pre-motor filter136. Accordingly, dirty air may travel from the cyclone air outlet 180to the pre-motor filter 136 without passing through any bends, therebyreducing the backpressure created by air flow through the vacuumcleaner. Alternatively, the cyclone chamber 128 may be configured sothat the air inlet 178 and air outlet 180 are located toward the sameend of the cyclone chamber, such as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 38and 39. This configuration may provide flexibility regarding position ofthe dirty air inlet 114 relative to the rest of the main body 106, andmay allow for a different arrangement of the hand vacuum components.

FIGS. 5 and 6 exemplify one embodiment of a hand vacuum 100 having acyclone unit that includes a uniflow cyclone chamber 128 and a dirtcollection chamber 130 that is positioned outside/ exterior to thecyclone chamber 128 and is in communication with the dirt outlet 182 toreceive dirt and debris exiting the cyclone chamber 128. In theillustrated example, the cyclone air inlet 178 and dirt outlet 182 arepositioned toward opposing ends of the cyclone chamber 128, and thecyclone air outlet 180 is provided toward the same end as the dirtoutlet 182 (the rear end as illustrated). In this configuration, dirtyair can enter at the front end of the cyclone chamber, while cleaner airand the separated dirt particles both exit the cyclone chamber at theopposing rear end.

In this embodiment, the cyclone chamber 128 has a front end wall 184 andan opposing rear end wall 186 that is spaced apart from the front endwall along the cyclone axis 132 about which air circulates when withinthe cyclone chamber 128. A cyclone chamber sidewall 188 extends betweenthe front and rear end walls 184, 186. In the illustrated example, whenthe hand vacuum is oriented with the upper end above the lower end, thecyclone axis 132 is generally horizontal, and is closer to horizontalthan vertical, e.g., ±20°, ±15°, ±10°, or ±5° . As exemplified, thecyclone axis 132 is substantially parallel to, e.g. ±20°, ±15°, ±10°, or±5°, and laterally (vertically) offset below the conduit axis 148 of theair inlet conduit 146, the cyclone chamber 128 and dirt collectionchamber 130 are below the inlet conduit axis 148, and a projection ofthe inlet conduit axis 148 intersects the suction motor 124. In theembodiment of FIG. 11, when the hand vacuum 100 is horizontal (asillustrated), the inlet conduit axis 148 is above the cyclone axis 132and intersects the suction motor 124. In this embodiment, the suctionmotor 124 is arranged so that a suction motor axis 240 is horizontal andis parallel to the inlet conduit axis 148, and is disposed above thecyclone axis 132.

In this embodiment, the cyclone air inlet 178 may terminate at anopening that is formed in cyclone sidewall 188, optionally an upperportion of the cyclone sidewall 188, adjacent the front end wall 184.Optionally, the cyclone air inlet 178 can be formed in the front endwall. The cyclone air inlet 178 is fluidly connected with the outlet endof the conduit 146 via a corresponding air outlet aperture 190 that maybe provided in a lower portion of the air inlet conduit 146. The cycloneair inlet 178 may have any suitable arrangement and/or configuration,and in the illustrated example is configured as a tangential air inletthat is directly connected to the air outlet aperture 190. Connectingthe air inlet 178 to the air outlet aperture 190 in this manner may helpreduce the need for additional conduits to fluidly connect the dirty airinlet 114 to the cyclone chamber 128, and may reduce or eliminate theneed for additional bends or air flow direction changes between thedirty air inlet 114 and the cyclone chamber 128. Reducing the conduitlength and number of bends may help reduce the backpressure and air flowlosses within the air flow path.

Positioning the cyclone air inlet 178 toward the front of the cyclonechamber 128 may help facilitate a desired air flow configuration withinthe cyclone chamber 128. For example, in this configuration the cyclonechamber 128 itself functions as part of the air flow path that conveysair rearwardly from the front 118 of the hand vacuum 100 to thepre-motor filter housing 134, without the need for a separate fluidconduit. This may help reduce the complexity of and back pressureproduced by the air flow path, and may help reduce the number of jointsand seals required in the air flow path.

In the illustrated example, the cyclone air inlet 178 is directlyadjacent the front wall 184. Alternatively, the cyclone air inlet 178may be axially spaced from the front end wall 184, and may be located atanother location along the length of the cyclone chamber 128.Preferably, the cyclone air inlet 178 may be provided in the front halfof the cyclone chamber 128 (i.e. forward of the axial mid-point of thecyclone chamber sidewall 188). Positioning the cyclone air inlet 178toward the front of the cyclone chamber 128 may help reduce the distancebetween the dirty air inlet 114 and the cyclone air inlet 178.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the cyclone air outlet 180 isprovided in the rear end wall 186 of the cyclone chamber 128, adjacentthe pre-motor filter housing 134, and an axially extending vortex finderconduit 192 extends from the rear end wall 186 and is aligned with thecyclone air outlet 180. An optional mesh screen 194 is shown inpositioned on the inlet end of the vortex finder conduit 192 to helpinhibit lint, hair and other such debris from entering the vortex finderconduit 192. Positioning the air outlet 180 toward the rear end (andoptionally in the rear end wall 186) may help facilitate the desired airflow through the cyclone chamber 128, such that air, while swirling,travels generally axially though the cyclone chamber 128—from the frontend wall 184 toward the rear end wall 186.

Positioning the air outlet 180 in the rear end wall 186 of the cyclonechamber 128 may also help facilitate the air flow connection between thecyclone chamber 128 and other downstream components in the hand vacuum,such as the pre-motor filter housing 134 and suction motor housing 125described herein. In this embodiment the air outlet 180 in the rear endwall 186 and is connected substantially directly to the pre-motor filterhousing 134 without the need for a separate connecting conduit. This mayhelp simplify the air flow path and construction of the hand vacuum.Alternatively, the air flow path may include one or more conduitsconnected downstream from the cyclone air outlet.

In this arrangement, air travelling through the hand vacuum 100 willtravel generally rearwardly along the air inlet conduit 146 (i.e.parallel to the conduit axis 148) and then change direction to travelgenerally downwardly into the cyclone air inlet 178 (i.e. generallyorthogonal to the cyclone axis 132). The air can then circulate withinthe cyclone chamber 128, and travel generally rearwardly toward thecyclone air outlet 180, and ultimately exit the cyclone chamber 128 viathe cyclone air outlet 180 while travelling through the vortex finder192 in a rearward direction (i.e. generally parallel to the cyclone axis132). In this configuration, the air flow changes direction only once(and by only approximately 90° which may be accomplished by a tangentialair inlet), between entering the dirty air inlet 114 and exiting thecyclone air outlet 180.

The cyclone dirt outlet 182 may be of any suitable configuration, and inthe embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 is a slot 182 that is provided in thecyclone chamber side wall 188, toward the rear end wall 186. The slot182 can extend around at least a portion of the perimeter of the cycloneside wall 188, and may have any suitable height 196 in the axialdirection (FIG. 6). As exemplified, the slot may be provided only in alower portion of the sidewall. Accordingly, when dirty air inlet 114faces downwardly during use, dirt will exit into an upper end of anexternal dirt collection chamber. Positioning the dirt collectionchamber below the cyclone chamber, and not surrounding the cyclonechamber, reduces the width of the hand vacuum. While shown directlyadjacent the rear end wall 186, such that the slot 182 is partiallybounded by the cyclone side wall 188 and the rear end wall 186, the slot182 may be located at another location along the length of the cycloneside wall 188, and need not be directly adjacent the rear end wall 186(see FIG. 22). Optionally, the dirt outlet 182 may be provide toward themid-point of the cyclone chamber sidewall 188, or may be provided towardthe front end wall 184. While illustrated with a single dirt outlet 182,the cyclone chamber 128 may include two or more dirt outlets that are incommunication with the same, or optionally different dirt collectionchambers 130.

Referring to FIGS. 27 and 29, a cyclone chamber having substantially thesame configuration as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is shown in anotherembodiment of a hand vacuum cleaner 100 that includes a differentpre-motor filter housing 134 and suction motor housing 125 configuration(which are described in more detail herein). While the configuration ofthe pre-motor filter housing 134 is different from the pre-motor filterhousing of FIGS. 5 and 6, the air flow path from the dirty air inlet 114to the cyclone air outlet 180 is substantially the same as describedabove, and the cyclone air outlet 180 is connected directly to thepre-motor filter housing 134.

Optionally, in some embodiments the cyclone unit 126 may be configuredto include two or more cyclone chambers 128. The cyclone chambers can bearranged in series with each other (air exiting one cyclone chamberflows into another cyclone chamber) or in parallel with each other. Ifmultiple cyclone chambers are provided, they may be generally the samesize and configuration as each other, or alternatively may be ofdifferent sizes and configurations.

Referring to FIGS. 15-21, an embodiment of a hand vacuum cleaner 100 isshown in which the air treatment member 112 is a cyclone unit 126 thatincludes two cyclone chambers 128. Each cyclone chamber may be generallyanalogous to the cyclone chamber illustrated in FIG. 5, and likefeatures are indicated using like reference characters.

In this embodiment, the cyclone chambers 128 are arranged as mirrorimages of each other and are positioned adjacent to each other in agenerally horizontal arrangement, so that the cyclone axes 132 aresubstantially parallel with each other. In this embodiment, the cycloneair inlets 178 are spaced apart from each other and are provided onopposite, outer sides of the cyclone unit 126. Alternatively, one orboth of the air inlets 178 could be provided toward the centre of thecyclone unit 126.

Referring to FIG. 21, to provide air flow communication between thecyclone chambers 128 and the dirty air inlet 114, in the illustratedembodiment the inlet conduit 146 includes an inlet manifold portion 198that divides the incoming dirty air flow between the air inlets 178 ofboth cyclone chambers 128. The manifold portion 198 is downstream fromthe inlet end of the inlet conduit 146, and includes two spaced apartoutlet apertures 190—one connected to each of the cyclone air inlets178. Alternatively, other air flow paths may be provided, including, forexample providing two dirty air inlets on the hand vacuum cleaner, eachin fluid communication with respective one of the cyclone chambers.

Referring also to FIG. 20, in this embodiment each cyclone chamber 128includes its own dirt outlet 182 that is in communication with arespective dirt collection chamber 130. In this embodiment, separatedirt collection chambers 130 are provided for each cyclone chamber 128,and they are separated from each other by a dividing wall 200 thatphysically and fluidly isolates the dirt collection chambers 130 fromeach other. This may help maintain the desired air flow paths throughthe air treatment member 112, and may prevent cross-flow between theseparate air flow path travelling through each of the cyclone chambers128.

Alternatively, the air treatment member 112 may be configured such thatthe dirt outlets 182 from both of the cyclone chambers 128 are incommunication with a single, shared dirt collection chamber 130. Oneembodiment having two cyclone chambers 128 in communication with asingle dirt collection chamber is illustrated in FIGS. 22-24 and theembodiment in FIGS. 35 and 36, where the cyclone unit 126 does notinclude the internal dividing wall 200.

Optionally, instead of being configured as a uniflow cyclone, oneembodiment of a hand vacuum illustrated in Figures37 and 38 includes acyclone unit 126 in which the cyclone chamber 128 is oriented generallyvertically (i.e. the cyclone axis 132 is closer to a vertical axis thana horizontal axis when the bottom is resting on a horizontal surface, sothat the upper end 122 is positioned above the lower end 123) and isconfigured so that the cyclone air inlet 178 is provided toward an upperend of the cyclone chamber 128 and the cyclone air outlet 180 isprovided in the upper end wall 186.

Instead of being directly adjacent the pre-motor filter housing 134 andfacing the pre-motor filter media 136, in this embodiment the cycloneair outlet 180 is fluidly connected to the pre-motor filter housing 134by an internal conduit 202 that extends generally rearwardly.

Referring to FIG. 38, in this embodiment the cyclone dirt outlet 182 ispositioned toward the lower end of the cyclone chamber 128, and the dirtcollection chamber 130 is positioned below the cyclone chamber 128 toreceive dirt exiting via the dirt outlet 182.

Referring to FIG. 39, another embodiment of a hand vacuum 100 includes acyclone chamber 128 that is analogous to the cyclone chamber of FIGS. 37and 38, but is arranged in a generally inverted configuration in whichthe cyclone air inlet 178 and cyclone air outlet 180 are both locatedtoward the lower end of the cyclone chamber 128. In this embodiment, theinlet conduit 146 is provided on the sidewall 188 of the cyclone chamber128, and is located toward the middle of the hand vacuum in the up/downdirection instead of being located toward the upper end 122 of the handvacuum 100 in the embodiments of

FIGS. 1-8 and others. In this embodiment, the inlet conduit axis 148 maybe proximate, and optionally may be substantially coaxial with alongitudinal central axis 204 of the hand vacuum 100, about which thehand vacuum 100 may be rotated while in use.

In this embodiment, the cyclone dirt outlet 182 is provided toward thetop of the cyclone chamber 128, and toward the front 118 of the handvacuum 100. Dirt exiting via the dirt outlet 182 can fall downwardly inthe space between the cyclone chamber sidewall 188 and the cyclone unitsidewall 204 and is collected in the dirt collection chamber 130 that isunderneath the cyclone chamber 128.

Like in the embodiment of FIGS. 37 and 38, in this embodiment thecyclone air outlet 180 is spaced apart from the pre-motor filterhousing, and is fluidly connected to the pre-motor filter housing 134via a generally rearwardly extending, internal air flow passage 202.

It is understood that any of the cyclone units 126 described herein maybe generally interchangeable with each other and may be used combinationwith any of the motor, filter, housing, detachable assembly and handleembodiments described herein to form various embodiments of the handvacuum cleaner.

Positioning of the Dirt Collection Chamber

The following is a description of the positioning of the dirt collectionchamber that may be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus orin any combination or sub-combination with any other feature or featuresdescribed herein. For example, the dirt collection chamber may be usedin association with any of the cyclone units, cyclone chamber, emptyingmethods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters, removablecomponent configurations, component configurations, dual mode operabledoor lock, handle configurations, on-board power source arrangements,wands, surface cleaning heads, information display devices, powerswitches and controls, air flow configurations, suction motors,reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outlet configurations, onboardchargers, power operating modes and other features described herein.

Preferably, the dirt collection chamber in the cyclone unit can beconfigured so that it is positioned at least partially and optionallyentirely below the cyclone chamber, toward the bottom side of the handvacuum, and underlies at least a portion of the cyclone chamber.Vertically stacking the dirt collection chamber below the cyclonechamber in this manner may help reduce the overall size of the handvacuum. Optionally, dirt collection chamber can be positioned so that itunderlies substantially the entire cyclone chamber, and does not extendforwardly beyond the front side of the cyclone chamber or rearwardly ofthe rear side of the cyclone chamber. In this arrangement, the entiredirt collection chamber may be located beneath the cyclone chamber. Thismay help reduce the overall size of the cyclone unit and the handvacuum. Alternatively, portions of the dirt collection chamber mayextend forward and/or rearward of the cyclone chamber.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, in the one embodiment the dirt collectionchamber 130 includes a front end wall 206, a rear end wall 208 that isaxially spaced from the front end wall 206 and a dirt collection chambersidewall 210 extending therebetween. The walls 206, 208 and 210 (andoptionally the walls of the cyclone chamber 128) may be made from anysuitable material, including plastic. Optionally, at least a portion ofthe walls 206, 208 and 210 may be transparent to allow a user to seeinto the interior of the dirt chamber 130 without opening the chamber.Preferably, the walls 206, 208 and 210 may be formed entirely fromtransparent plastic.

In this embodiment, the dirt collection chamber 130 is located below thecyclone chamber 128 and has substantially the same axial length 212 asthe cyclone chamber 128. In this configuration, the front end wall 206of the dirt chamber is generally aligned with the front end wall 184 ofthe cyclone chamber 128, and the rear end wall 208 is generally alignedwith the rear end wall 186 of the cyclone chamber 128. In theillustrated example, the dirt chamber 130 is substantially entirelybeneath the cyclone chamber 128, and does not extend beyond the cyclonechamber 128 in the front/back or side/side direction (see also FIG. 2).That is, the length 212 of the dirt chamber 130 in the axial directionis substantially equal to the length 212 of the cyclone chamber 128, andthe width of the dirt collection chamber 214 in a lateral direction(FIG. 2), that is orthogonal to the cyclone axis 132, is substantiallyequal to the lateral width of the cyclone chamber 128. Nesting the dirtcollection chamber 130 entirely beneath the cyclone chamber 128 in thismanner may help reduce the overall size of the cyclone unit 126 and/orhand vacuum 100 overall. Alternatively, the dirt collection chamber maybe provided so that it extends beyond at least one of the length andwidth of the cyclone chamber, and optionally both.

Optionally, the front end walls 184 and 206 of the cyclone chamber 128and dirt collection chamber 130 may be generally flat and arranged to beco-planar with each other, and the rear end walls 186 and 208 may havean analogous configuration. In this arrangement, a portion of the dirtcollection chamber sidewall 210 is coincident with a portion of thecyclone chamber sidewall 188, as a lower portion of the cyclone chambersidewall 188 also forms an upper portion of the dirt collection chambersidewall 210 that serves to separate the cyclone chamber 128 from thedirt collection chamber 130.

Optionally, in some embodiments the dirt collection chamber 130 can beconfigured so that portions of the outer surface of the dirt collectionchamber 130 can form part of a lower end 123 of the hand vacuum 100,upon which the hand vacuum rests if placed on a flat surface. In theillustrated example, downward facing portions of the dirt collectionchamber sidewall 210 are positioned such that they will contact anunderlying surface and form part of the bottom of the hand vacuum 100.Alternatively, the cyclone unit 126 can be configured so that its outersurfaces do not contact an underlying surface or form part of the vacuumbase when the vacuum is rested on a surface, as shown for example in theembodiment of FIG. 15.

Referring to dual cyclone the embodiment shown in FIGS. 16 and 21, thedirt collection chambers 130 in this embodiment are each configured tohave substantially the same length 212 as their respective cyclones 128,and each dirt collection chamber 130 is positioned entirely beneath itsrespective cyclone 128. As shown in FIG. 21, in this embodiment the dirtcollection chambers 130 taper toward the lower end 123 of the handvacuum 100 such that the dirt collection chambers 130 are actuallynarrower than their respective cyclones 128 toward the lower their lowerends. Alternatively, the dirt collection chambers 130 could beconfigured to have a generally constant width from top to bottom.

The dirt chambers in the embodiments of FIGS. 9-14 and 25-36 haveanalogous configurations.

Referring to FIGS. 37 and 38, in this embodiment the dirt collectionchamber 130 underlies the entire lower end of the cyclone chamber 128,and extends slightly forward of the cyclone chamber 128. In thisarrangement, the end wall 184 of the cyclone chamber 128 and the endwall 208 of the dirt collection chamber 130 may be coincident with eachother, and the sidewalls 188 and 210 do not overlap.

The dirt collection chamber 130 in the embodiment of FIG. 39 has asimilar configuration. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in FIGS.22-24, the front of the dirt collection chamber 130 is substantiallyflush with the front end walls 184 of the cyclone chambers, but portionsof the dirt collection chamber 130 extend rearward of the rearmostextent of the rear end wall 186. In this embodiment, the dirt collectionchamber 130 and underlies not only the cyclone chamber, but a portion ofthe pre-motor filter housing 134 as well. Nesting the dirt collectionchamber 130 in this manner may help provide a relatively larger dirtchamber capacity while helping to reduce the overall size of the handvacuum.

Emptying of the Air Treatment Member

The following is a description of emptying the air treatment member thatmay be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in anycombination or sub-combination with any other feature or featuresdescribed herein. For example, the mechanisms for emptying the airtreatment member may be used with any of cyclone units, dirt collectionchambers, cyclone chamber, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters,removable component configurations, component configurations, dual modeoperable door lock, handle configurations, on-board power sourcearrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads, information displaydevices, power switches and controls, air flow configurations, suctionmotors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outlet configurations, onboardchargers, power operating modes and other features described herein.

Preferably, at least a portion of the air treatment member can beopenable for emptying. For example, at least one end, and optionallyboth ends of the dirt collection chamber 130 can be openable foremptying. Optionally, at least one end, and optionally both ends of thecyclone chamber 128 can also be openable for emptying.

Referring to FIGS. 5-6, in this embodiment, the front end wall 184 ofthe cyclone chamber 128 and the front end wall 206 of the dirtcollection chamber 130 are both provided by portions of an openablefront door 216 that covers the front end of the cyclone unit 126. Inthis arrangement, opening the front door 216 will concurrently open thefront end walls 184 and 206 of the cyclone and dirt collection chambers128, 130. In the illustrated example, the front door 216 can be openedwhile the cyclone unit 126 is connected to the main body 106 (see forexample, FIG. 23). In this arrangement, a user may hold the hand vacuum100 via the handle 110 with one hand and open the front door 216 withthe other hand. The front end wall 184 of the cyclone chamber 128 andthe front end wall 206 of the dirt collection chamber 130 may beconcurrently openable and may cover all of a substantial portion of thefront end of the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber. Forexample, the front end wall 184 of the cyclone chamber 128 and the frontend wall 206 of the dirt collection chamber 130 may be a one pieceassembly or they may be integrally formed.

The front door 216 can be openably connected (e.g., pivotally openableor removably mounted) to the rest of the cyclone unit 126 using anysuitable mechanism, including a hinge or other suitable device.Optionally, the front door 216 can be secured in the closed positionusing any suitable type of locking mechanism, including a latchmechanism that can be released by a user. In the embodiment of FIGS.1-8, the front door 216 can be opened by detaching it from the cycloneand dirt chamber sidewalls 188 and 210, and is secured in the closedposition by a friction fit when connected as illustrated in FIG. 5.

In this embodiment, the rear end walls 186 and 208 of the cyclonechamber 128 and dirt collection chamber 130 are not openable. However,in other embodiments one or both of the rear end walls may be openable,and optionally they may be openable concurrently in an analogous mannerto the front end walls. Optionally, the front and rear walls may beopenable at the same time (not necessarily concurrently). Havingopenable front and rear walls may help facilitate emptying and/orcleaning of the cyclone unit 126.

Optionally, the cyclone unit 126 can include an assembly door lock orother suitable locking mechanism, for securing the openable door 216 inits closed position.

When the lock is in a locked position the door 216 can be held in itsclosed position and when the lock is in an unlocked position the doorcan be opened for emptying. Preferably, the assembly door lock caninclude at least one release actuator so that a user can unlock theassembly door lock.

The actuator for opening/ releasing the openable portion of the cycloneunit 126 can be provided on the cyclone unit 126 itself, on the mainbody 106 or on any other portion of the hand vacuum 100 (such as thehandle 110).

Optionally, instead of providing an openable front wall, the cycloneunit may be configured so that another portion is openable. For example,in the embodiments of FIGS. 37-38 and 39, the openable portion of thedirt collection chamber 130 is the bottom end wall 206. This wall can beopened in a manner that is analogous to opening the front door 216 inthe other embodiments. Preferably, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 37-38,the lower end wall 184 of the cyclone chamber 128 is connected to andmovable with the bottom wall 206, so that opening the bottom wall 206opens both the dirt collection chamber 130 and the cyclone chamber 128for emptying. Alternatively, the lower end wall 184 of the cyclonechamber 128 need not be openable, as in the embodiment of FIG. 39, suchthat opening the bottom wall 206 opens only the dirt collection chamber130. The openable bottom wall 206 may be secured in its closed positionusing any suitable locking mechanism, including the mechanism describedherein. For example, a latch 220 could be vertically oriented andprovided on the front portion of sidewall of the cyclone unit 126. Theopenable bottom wall 206 may be secured in its closed position using anysuitable locking mechanism, including the mechanism described herein.

Dual Mode Operable Door Lock

The following is a description of different features of a dual modeoperable door lock that can be used in a hand vacuum cleaner. Thesefeatures may be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or inany combination or sub-combination with any other feature or featuresdescribed herein. For example, any of the removable assemblyconfigurations described herein may be used with any of the cycloneunits, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber, emptying methods,pre-motor filters, removable component configurations, componentconfigurations, dual mode operable door lock, handle configurations,on-board power source arrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads,information display devices, power switches and controls, air flowconfigurations, suction motors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outletconfigurations, onboard chargers, power operating modes and otherfeatures described herein.

A surface cleaning apparatus may have a removable assembly whichincludes a dirt collection area (e.g., a dirt collection chamber thatmay be internal of a cyclone chamber or external thereto). For example,an air treatment member may be removable by itself or with othercomponents as described herein. The assembly that is removable may havean openable door that is secured in a closed position by a lock. Whenthe lock is released, the door may be opened. An assembly actuator maybe provided on the assembly. When actuated by a user (e.g., by pressinga button or sliding an actuator) the lock may be released. The assemblyactuator may be concealed when the assembly is mounted to the rest ofthe surface cleaning apparatus (e.g., a main body of a surface cleaningapparatus). When the assembly is mounted to, e.g., a main body, a mainbody actuator may be used to open the lock. Accordingly, the main bodyactuator may be operatively connected to the lock, such as by beingdrivingly connected to the assembly actuator.

Accordingly, the assembly door lock may be configured so that portionsof the assembly door lock provided on the cyclone unit 126 can bedirectly engaged by a user when the cyclone unit 126 (or any other airtreatment member 112) is separated from the main body 106, but can alsobe engaged by an body-mounted actuator member when the cyclone unit 126is attached to the main body 106. In such a configuration, the sameassembly door lock mechanism can be actuated regardless of whether thecyclone unit 126 is attached to the main body 106 or separated from themain body 106, and the cyclone unit 126 can be openable in bothconfigurations.

Referring to FIGS. 22-24, one example of an assembly door lock operablelock the front door in its locked position is shown. In this embodiment,the locking mechanism 218 includes lock portion in the form of a latchmember 220 that is pivotally connected to a pivot mount on the upperside of the cyclone unit 126. The lower end of the door 216 is hingedlyconnected to the lower end of the cyclone unit 126 via hinge 222 (FIG.22) so that the front door 216 can pivot open when the latch 220 isdisengaged.

As shown in FIG. 22, the front end 224 of the latch member 220 isconfigured to engage a corresponding catch portion 226 on the upper endof the front door 216, and the rear end 228 of the latch member 220includes an actuation portion in the form of an engagement portion 230that is sized and configured to be pressed by a user. In thisembodiment, the latch member 220 is located forward of the pivot mountand the engagement portion 230 is located rearward of the pivot mount.To unlock the assembly door lock, the user can press on the engagementportion 230 which can cause the latch member 220 to pivot relative tothe cyclone unit sidewall, such that the front end 224 of the latchmember 220 moves upward (disengaging from the catch 226—see FIG. 23) andthe rear end 228 of the latch member 220 moves downward.

In this embodiment, the latch member 220 is provided on a portion of theupper side of the cyclone unit that is covered by the main body 106, andbecomes generally inaccessible to the user, when the cyclonic unit 126is attached to the main body 106. Preferably, sufficient clearance isprovided between the main body and the cyclone unit so that the latchmember 220 can move between the locked and unlocked positions while thecyclone unit 126 is attached, as well as when it is removed. This mayhelp facilitate unlocking the front door 216 and opening the cycloneunit 126 for emptying regardless of whether the cyclone unit is attachedor removed from the main body 106.

To operate the latch 220 in this embodiment, a release actuator can beprovided on an accessible portion of the main body 106, and can beoperable to unlock the front door 216. Optionally, the release actuatormay be configured to directly engage and unlock the front door, oralternatively the release actuator may be configured to engage and actupon the latch member, which in turn can unlock the front door.

The release actuator may move in a different direction than the lockingmember (e.g., it could move is a different plane). For example, asexemplified in the illustrated embodiment, the hand vacuum includes arelease actuator in the form of a slider 232 that is provided on theupper side of the main body 106 and can translate in theforward/backward direction. The slider 232 includes an actuation portionin the form of a tab portion 234 that can be grasped by a user, anddriven end in the form of an internal abutment portion 236. A user cantranslate the tab portion 234 forwardly and rearwardly, which can causea corresponding translation of the abutment portion 236. When thecyclone unit 126 is attached to the main body 106, the engagementportion 230 of the latch 220 is positioned generally proximate theabutment portion 236 of the slider 232. When the user translates theslider 232 forward, the abutment portion 236 is brought into contactwith the engagement portion 230 and, due to its inclined caming surface,urges the engagement portion 230 downwardly to disengage the latch 220(FIG. 23). With the latch 220 disengaged, the front door 216 can befreely opened.

Optionally, the latch member 220 can be biased toward is locked positionusing a spring 238, or other suitable biasing member. Similarly, theslider 232 can be biased toward its rearward, disengaged position. Whileshown as a horizontally sliding member in this embodiment, the releaseactuator may alternatively be configured as a vertically translatablelinkage/ button (i.e. vertically depressing the actuator button presseson the internal engagement portion to release the latch), a rotary dialor other suitable mechanism.

This locking mechanism 218, and release actuator 232, may be used incombination with any of the cyclone units 126 and hand vacuums 100described herein.

Alternatively as discussed herein, the lower end wall 184 of the cyclonechamber 128 need not be openable, as in the embodiment of FIG. 39, suchthat opening the bottom wall 206 opens only the dirt collection chamber130. In such an embodiment, the latch 220 may be provided on the rearside of the sidewall, such that it would be covered when the cycloneunit 126 is attached to the main body 106. In that case, the main body106 may include a release actuator, such as a vertically oriented slidermember. The latch 220 can include an engagement portion that is manuallyengageable by a user when the cyclone unit is detached, and that isengaged by the abutment portion of the vertical slider member when thecyclone unit is attached to the main body, like the embodiments of FIGS.22-24.

Pre-Motor Filter Housing

The following is a description of different features of a pre-motorfilter housing that can be used in a hand vacuum cleaner. These featuresmay be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in anycombination or sub-combination with any other feature or featuresdescribed herein. For example, any of the removable assemblyconfigurations described herein may be used with any of the cycloneunits, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber, emptying methods,pre-motor filters, removable component configurations, componentconfigurations, dual mode operable door lock, handle configurations,on-board power source arrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads,information display devices, power switches and controls, air flowconfigurations, suction motors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outletconfigurations, onboard chargers, power operating modes and otherfeatures described herein.

In the embodiments described herein, the hand vacuum includes apre-motor filter housing positioned in the air flow path between thecyclone chamber and the suction motor. In some configurations, thepre-motor filter housing may be fixedly connected to the suction motorhousing, or other portions of the main body, such that the pre-motorfilter housing is not detachable from the main body. Alternatively, inother examples the pre-motor filter housing may be detachable from themain body.

Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-8, in the illustrated example themain body 106 includes both the suction motor housing 125 and thepre-motor filter housing 134, and is configured such that the pre-motorfilter housing 134 is located below the suction motor housing 125. Inthis example, the suction motor 124 is generally vertically oriented,such that the suction motor axis of rotation 240 is generally vertical(e.g., ±20°, ±15°, ±10°, or ±5°) when the hand vacuum is resting on ahorizontal surface with the upper end above the lower end (asillustrated in FIG. 5). In this arrangement, the suction motor axis 240is generally orthogonal to the cyclone axis 132, and a projection of themotor axis 240 is positioned longitudinally between the cyclone unit 126and the handle 110 (i.e. rearward of the cyclone chamber 128 and forwardof the handle 110) and extends through the pre-motor filter housing 134and through the grill 138 at the clear air outlet 116.

In this embodiment, when the hand vacuum 100 is upright (i.e. orientedso that is upper end is above its lower end as illustrated in FIG. 5)and the cyclone axis 132 extends generally horizontally, the motor axis240 is substantially vertical (e.g., ±20°, ±15°, ±10°, or ±5°).Optionally, the suction motor 124 may be oriented so that when the handvacuum 100 is upright and the cyclone axis 132 is horizontal that thesuction motor axis 240 is within ±20°, ±15°, ±10°, or ±5° of vertical(see, for example the embodiment of FIG. 22).

Optionally, the hand vacuum 100 can be configured so that when the handvacuum is upright, a lower end of the suction motor, which is the inletend 242 in the embodiment of FIG. 5, is positioned below an upperportion of the cyclone chamber side wall 188

In the illustrated example, the pre-motor filter housing 134 is sizedsuch that the pre-motor filter housing diameter 244 is generally thesame as the motor housing diameter 246 (FIG. 3), and the pre-motorfilter housing 134 is mostly, and optionally entirely, located beneaththe motor housing 125 in a vertically stacked configuration.

Referring to FIG. 5, in the illustrated example the pre-motor filterhousing 134 has upper and lower end walls 248 and 250, and a chambersidewall 252 extending therebetween. The chamber 134 also has a housinginlet 254 (see also FIG. 6) that is connected downstream form thecyclone air outlet 180, and a housing air outlet 256 adjacent the motorinlet end 242. To travel from the housing air inlet 254 to the housingair outlet 256, the air will pass through the pre-motor filter 136positioned within the chamber. In the illustrated example, the housingair inlet 254 is provided in a front portion of the chamber sidewall252, and is located toward the upper end of the housing 134. The housingair outlet 256 is formed in the upper end wall 248. In thisconfiguration, air entering the filter housing 134 travels in agenerally rearwardly direction, and air exiting the filter housing 134travels orthogonally, in a generally upward direction into the suctionmotor housing inlet end 242.

Optionally, the pre-motor filter housing 134 may be openable (optionallyas described herein), and at least one of the end walls 248 or 250and/or a portion of the sidewall 252 may be openable or otherwisere-configuration to provide access to the interior of the pre-motorfilter housing 134.

In the illustrated example, the main body 106 is configured such thatthe suction motor 124 and pre-motor filter 136 are each locatedrearwardly of the cyclone chamber 128. For example, referring to FIG. 5,in this example the suction motor 124 and pre-motor filter 136 are bothlocated rearward of a plane 258 that contains the rear end wall 186 ofthe cyclone chamber 128 and the cyclone air outlet 180. Alternatively,portions of the suction motor and/or pre-motor filter may extendforwardly of the plane 258, such that they vertically overlap thecyclone chamber 128.

Referring to FIGS. 12, 22 and 38, alternate embodiments of hand vacuum100 may be configured so that the pre-motor filter housing 134 ispositioned above the suction motor housing 125, so that the pre-motorfilter 136 and suction motor 124 are vertically stacked in an oppositemanner than the embodiment of FIGS. 1-11, and others. Stacking thecomponents in this arrangement may alter the weight distribution of thehand vacuum.

Positioning the suction motor housing 125 toward the bottom of the mainbody 106 may also locate the clear air outlet 116 toward the bottom thebody 106, instead of the upper end 122 as illustrated in FIGS. 1-11.This may help facilitate exhausting air from the hand vacuum100 in agenerally downward and/or rearward direction.

Positioning the pre-motor filter housing 134 toward the top 122 of thebody 106 may help facilitate access to the pre-motor filter 136 whilethe hand vacuum is resting on its base. For example, if the hand vacuum100 cleaner is rested upon a table or other such surface, an upper endwall 248 of the pre-motor filter housing 134 as illustrated in FIGS. 12,22 and 38 is provided at the upper end of the housing and is accessibleto a user. If the upper end wall 248 is configured to be openable, auser could then open the pre-motor filter housing 134, while the handvacuum 100 rests on the table, to inspect or replace the pre-motorfilter 136, without having to use one hand to grasp the handle 110 orotherwise support the hand vacuum.

Referring to FIGS. 25-31, an alternative embodiment of a hand vacuum100may include a generally flat, slab-like pre-motor filter 136, and apre-motor filter housing 134 that has a different shape than thehousings 134 in FIGS. 1-21. In this embodiment, the pre-motor filterhousing 134 is positioned rearward of both the cyclone unit 126 and thesuction motor housing 125, and forward of the handle 110. If the motor124 is horizontal, as illustrated in FIG. 27, a projection of the motoraxis 240 will intersect the pre-motor filter housing 134 and the filter136. If the cyclone chamber 128 is horizontal, as illustrated, aprojection of the cyclone axis 132 will intersect the pre-motor filterhousing 134 and the filter 136, as well as the handle 110.

In this embodiment, the pre-motor filter housing includes a front endwall 248 that includes the housing inlet 254 and the housing outlet 256,a rear end wall 250 and a side wall 252 extending therebetween.Optionally, as illustrated in the embodiment of FIG. 26, the rear wall250 may include at least one transparent portion 260 (or optionally beentirely transparent) so that a user may visually inspect the filter 136without having to open the pre-motor filter housing 134.

Referring to FIG. 27, when the filter 136 is positioned within thepre-motor filter housing 134, a space between an upstream surface 262 ofthe filter 136, through which air enters the filter, and the opposingwall 250 of the housing 134 provides an upstream header 264 that is inair flow communication with the cyclone air outlet 180. A space betweenthe downstream surface 266, through which air exits the filter, and theopposing end wall 248 provides a downstream header 268 that is in airflow communication with the suction motor 124. In the illustrated, thefilter 136 includes a hole 270 (see also FIG. 28) that is configured toreceive an air flow conduit 272. The air flow conduit 272 extendsthrough the filter 136 and provides air flow communication between thecyclone air outlet 180 and the upstream header 264. In the illustratedexample, the air flow conduit 272 is a rigid conduit section that isconfigured as an extension of the vortex finder conduit 192 and extendsdirectly from the cyclone air outlet 180. The downstream header 268 isin airflow communication with the inlet of the suction motor housing125, and the suction motor 124therein. In this arrangement, airtravelling through the filter 136 first travels rearwardly through theconduit 272 (without being exposed to the filter media itself), and thentravels forwardly from the upstream surface 262 to the downstreamsurface 266, before then travelling forwardly into the suction motor124.

In this embodiment, the filter 136 is positioned within the pre-motorfilter housing 134 such that the downstream surface 266 is provided on afront side of the filter (i.e. the side facing the air treatment member112) and the upstream surface 262 is provided on a rear side of thefilter 136 (i.e. the side facing the handle 110) and is visible throughthe transparent portion 260.

Referring to FIG. 36, in another embodiment the pre-motor filter housing134 is configured so that air flows through the filter in a generallyopposite direction than it flows through the filter shown in FIG. 27.That is, in this embodiment, the upstream side 262 of the filter 136 isthe front surface of the filter 136, and the downstream side 266 is therear surface of the filter 136. In this configuration, air exiting thecyclone unit 126 flows into an upstream header 264 that is positionedbetween the filter 136 and the cyclone unit 126 and motor. From theupstream header 264, air flows rearwardly through the filter 136 andreaches the downstream header 268. The downstream header 268 is fluidlyconnected to the suction motor 124 housing via a conduit section 272that projects through a hole 270 in the filter. In this configuration,air can flow forwardly from the downstream header 268 to the suctionmotor 124 via the conduit 272, without being exposed to the filtermedia.

Optionally, some or all of the pre-motor filter housing walls can betransparent so that a user can visually inspect the outer, upstream sideof the pre-motor filter without having to open the chamber.Alternatively, the chamber may be opaque and the filter may only bevisible to a user when the chamber is opened.

Openable Pre-Motor Filter Housing

The following is a description of different features of an openablefilter housing that can be used in a hand vacuum cleaner. These featuresmay be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in anycombination or sub-combination with any other feature or featuresdescribed herein. For example, any of the removable assemblyconfigurations described herein may be used with any of the cycloneunits, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber, emptying methods,pre-motor filters, removable component configurations, componentconfigurations, dual mode operable door lock, handle configurations,on-board power source arrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads,information display devices, power switches and controls, air flowconfigurations, suction motors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outletconfigurations, onboard chargers, power operating modes and otherfeatures described herein.

Optionally, the pre-motor filter housings can be openable to provideaccess to the filter. In some embodiments, the pre-motor housing may beopened by separating other components of the hand vacuum from the mainbody, such as by removing the cyclone unit 126 for emptying or removingthe handle. Alternatively, or in addition to opening in this manner, thepre-motor filter housing may include one or more openable portions thatcan provide access to the interior of the pre-motor filter housing andthe pre-motor filter therein.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, in one embodiment the pre-motor filterhousing 134 includes an openable bottom wall 250 that can be detachedfrom the sidewalls 252 of. Optionally, the bottom wall 250 may beremovable while leaving the filter 136 in place, or may be configured sothat the filter 136 is removed from the housing 134 when the bottom wall250 is detached. In the illustrated example, the bottom wall 250 alsofunctions as a base member of a filter carrier 276, which also includesan outlet conduit 274 (described in more detail herein), and supportsthe pre-motor filter 136. To access the pre-motor filter 136 in thisconfiguration, a user can separate the filter carrier 276 from thefilter housing 134 by extracting the carrier 276 in a generally axialdirection (i.e. parallel to a filter axis 278—see also FIG. 5 and theembodiments of FIGS. 9-11, 13, 14, 15-11 and 39). Optionally, the foamfilter 136 can be snugly received on the outlet conduit 274, so that thefoam filter 136 can be removed with carrier 276 as a single unit andoptionally without a user having to touch the dirty, upstream side 262of the filter 136.

Alternatively, instead of separating the bottom wall 250 from thesidewalls 252, the pre-motor filter housing 134 may be configured sothat substantially the entire housing 134 is detachable, as shown in theembodiment of FIG. 10. In this configuration, the housing side wall 252,including the housing air inlet 254, is removable from the rest of themain body. In this embodiment, the upper end of the pre-motor filterhousing 134 is open when the housing 134 is detached, and the filter 136may be extracted through the upper end. Optionally, the bottom wall 250may also be detachable in this embodiment (as shown in FIG. 7), and maybe detachable when the rest of the housing 134 is mounted to the mainbody 106 or when the side wall 252 of the housing 134 is detached asshown.

In the embodiment of FIG. 12, access to the interior of the pre-motorfilter housing 134 can be provided by opening at least a portion of theupper wall 248 of the housing 134 (and optionally the entire upper wall)in a manner analogous to the bottom wall as shown in FIG. 7. Theembodiment of FIGS. 22 and 38, are other examples of an embodiment inwhich the pre-motor filter housing 134 is located toward the upper endof the hand vacuum 100, and can be opened by detaching the upper wall248 of the housing. In this embodiment, the conduit is connected to theupper wall and the filter is snugly received on the conduit, such thatfilter is removable from the interior of the pre-motor housing with theconduit and upper wall when the upper wall is detached.

FIGS. 27 and 28 illustrate an embodiment in which the rear wall 250 ofthe pre-motor filter housing 134 is openable to provide access to theinterior and the filter 136.

In this embodiment, the upper end of the rear wall 250 is connected tothe sidewall 252 via a hinge 280, which allows the rear wall 250 topivot relative to the sidewall 252. A latch or other suitable engagementmechanism can be provided toward the lower end of the rear wall 250 tohold the rear wall 250 in its closed position (FIG. 27). To access thefilter 136, the rear wall 250 can be pivoted to an open position (FIG.28). In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 110 is only connected tothe rear wall 250, and therefore moves with the rear wall 250 when thepre-motor filter housing 134 is opened. Alternatively, the handle 110may be mounted to other portions of the main body, such that the handleneed not move when the pre-motor filter housing 134 is opened.

The embodiment of FIGS. 35 and 36 is configured in an analogous mannerbut the rear end wall 250 is secured to the side wall 252 via frictionfit, rather than using a hinge.

In another embodiment, the handle may be mounted to the rear wall of thepre-motor filter housing but the rear wall need not be openable.Instead, another portion of the pre-motor filter housing may beopenable. This may help strengthen the connection between the handle andthe rest of the hand vacuum. Referring to FIGS. 32-34, anotherembodiment of a hand vacuum 100 is configured so that the bottom portionof the side wall 252 of the pre-motor filter housing 134 can be opened,without requiring movement of the rear wall 250. In this embodiment, theopenable portion 282 of the housing 134 faces the side of the filter 136(rather than either the upstream or downstream surfaces 262, 266), andthe filter 136 can be removed by sliding the filter downwardly thoughthe opening 284.

In some embodiments, a filter 136 made of foam, felt and/or otherflexible materials of this nature may be somewhat difficult to insertinto the opening 284 this embodiment. For example, the filter may tendto flex or distort when being inserted and may interfere with the frontor rear walls. Optionally, the filters used in this embodiment may bemade from materials that are sufficiently stiff to facilitate insertionof the filter in the pre-motor filter housing. Alternatively, or inaddition, the pre-motor filter may be supported by a frame or othersuitable embodiment of a filter carrier 276 that can help provide thedesired strength.

Referring to FIG. 32, this embodiment of a filter carrier 276 includes aside wall 286 that surrounds the edge 288 of the filter 136, and a rearwall 290 that overlies the upstream surface 262 of the filter 136. Therear wall 290 of the frame is provided with a plurality of holes 292 toallow air to pass there through. In this embodiment the filter carrier276 also includes a portion of the conduit 272 that extends through thehole 270 in the filter 136, connecting the cyclone air outlet 180 withthe upstream header 264 on the rear side of the filter 136. A filtercarrier 276 and filter 136 of this type may also be configured toaccommodate different air flow patterns, including as shown in theembodiment of FIG. 36, in which case the conduit 272 and hole 270 may bein a different location.

Optionally, instead of including a rear wall 290 as illustrated, thefilter carrier 276 may only include the side wall portion 286, and maybe of generally ring-like configuration. This may help facilitate airflow through the filter 136 and may provide adequate strength andstiffness. In other embodiments, the filter carrier may include a frontwall instead of a rear wall 290 (e.g. reversing the orientation of theframe as illustrated) or may include a rear wall that covers less thanthe entire flow area of the filter. For example, the rear wall may beconfigured as a relatively small flange extending inwardly from the sidewall which may help stabilize the filter 136 while helping to reduce theimpact on the flow area of the filter.

In some embodiments, a portion of the side wall 286 of the filtercarrier 276 may be configured to also form a portion of the housing sidewall 252 when the filter carrier 276 is inserted. For example, insteadof an openable portion 282, the side wall 286 may be configured to coverand seal the opening 284 in the pre-motor filter housing 134, whereby aportion of the side wall 282 would be an exposed portion of the handvacuum 100, like the bottom wall 250 in the embodiment of FIG. 5.

Pre-Motor Filter Media

The following is a description of different features and configurationsof a pre-motor filter media that can be used in a hand vacuum cleaner.These features may be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatusor in any combination or sub-combination with any other feature orfeatures described herein. For example, any of the removable assemblyconfigurations described herein may be used with any of the cycloneunits, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber, emptying methods,pre-motor filter housings, removable component configurations, componentconfigurations, dual mode operable door lock, handle configurations,on-board power source arrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads,information display devices, power switches and controls, air flowconfigurations, suction motors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outletconfigurations, onboard chargers, power operating modes and otherfeatures described herein.

Optionally, the pre-motor filter positioned within the pre-motor filterhousing may be of any suitable design that is compatible with a givenpre-motor filter housing design and may be formed from any suitablematerial, including, for example, physical porous filter media such asfoam and/or felt.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-24 and 37-39, the pre-motorfilter 136 itself is configured as a generally cylindrical foam filterwith a hollow, open interior that may be sized to fit around an optionaloutlet conduit 274 (see FIG. 13 for example). The foam filter 136extends longitudinally between upper and lower ends along a filter axis278, which is generally vertical in the illustrated embodiment. Thefilter 136 is placed around the outlet conduit 274, which includes aplurality of holes 294 spaced along its length. In this example, thefilter 136 and conduit 274 are concentrically positioned, and bothextend along the filter axis 278.

In the illustrated example, the filter 136 is sized so that its diameteris less than the diameter of the pre-motor filter housing side wall 252.In this arrangement, a generally annular flow region is defined betweenthe side wall 252 and the outer wall 296 of the filter which functionsas the upstream surface 262. This annular flow region functions as theupstream header 264. An opposed inner wall 298 of the filter 136surrounds and faces the outlet conduit 274 and functions as a downstreamsurface 266. In this embodiment, the interior of the conduit 274 canfunction as the downstream header 268. In this embodiment, the filter136 has a generally annular transverse cross-sectional area, taken in aplane that is orthogonal to the filter axis 278.

In the illustrated example, air flowing into the pre-motor filterhousing 134 can flow within the upstream header 264, and is then drawnradially inwardly, through the upstream surface 262 and exits the filtervia the inner, downstream surface 266. Arranging the pre-motor filter136 in this manner may help provide an upstream surface 262 having adesired surface area in a relatively small physical volume. Air exitingthe downstream side 266 is drawn into the interior of the conduit 274,via the holes 294, and flows upwardly out of the pre-motor filterhousing 134 via the housing air outlet 256 in a direction that issubstantially parallel to the filter axis 278. From the air outlet 256,the air flows into the suction motor housing 125.

Referring to FIG. 13, in the illustrated example, the pre-motor filter136 is positioned so that the pre-motor filter axis 278 is generallyaligned with the suction motor axis 240, and is orthogonal to thecyclone axis 132 and inlet conduit axis 148. In this position theprojection of the suction motor axis 240 extends through the pre-motorfilter housing 134 and through the interior of the conduit 274, but doesnot actually intersect the foam filter 136 itself. When positioned asshown in FIG. 13, for example, a projection of the cyclone axis 132 willintersect the filter 136 in two different locations (one locationforward of the conduit 274 and one location rearward of the conduit 274)as well as intersecting the conduit 274 and the handle 110. In thisconfiguration the passage of the air flow through the filter mayredirect the air flow from, e.g., a horizontal axis to a vertical axiswithout requiring a conduit with a 90° bend, which would createincreased back pressure.

Optionally, the pre-motor filter 136 can include more than one layer,and may include secondary pre-motor filter media, such as a felt layer136 a. Optionally, the felt layer 136a may be positioned between theinner wall 298 and the conduit 274 or alternatively may be positioned inthe air flow path between the outlet conduit 274 and the suction motor124. For example, in the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 11, the felt layer136a is positioned over the upper end of the outlet conduit, andoverlies the conduit 274 and is intersected by both the filter andsuction motor axes 278 and 240 in FIG. 7, and is only intersected by thefilter axis 278 in the embodiment of FIG. 11 (in which the suction motor124 is oriented horizontally). Alternatively, the secondary pre-motorfilter media may be positioned in a different location or omittedentirely.

In other embodiments, such as those shown in FIGS. 25-36, instead ofusing a cylindrical filter, the pre-motor filter 136 can be a generallyflat, slab-like filter that is formed from foam or other suitable mediaand has opposed upstream and downstream surfaces 262 and 266. Anoptional felt filter layer 136a can be provided on one side of thefilter, and preferably is positioned adjacent the downstream side 266 asshown in FIGS. 25-34, but may be provided on the upstream side 262 asshown in FIG. 36.

In these embodiments, the pre-motor filter 136 covers substantially theentire rear side of the cyclone unit 126 and suction motor housing 125.In embodiments of FIG. 27, a projection of the cyclone axis 132intersects the pre-motor filter 136, and a projection of the motor axis240 also intersects the pre-motor filter 136. In the embodiment of FIG.34, a projection of the cyclone axis 132 intersects the pre-motor filter136, but a projection of the motor axis 240 does not.

In the embodiments that incorporate the flat filter 136, the filter 136and filter housing 134 are positioned between the handle 110 and therest of the hand vacuum 100.

Removable Component Configurations

The following is a description of different configurations of components(optionally grouped together as assemblies and/or sub-assemblies) thatcan be removed from the hand vacuum cleaner, for example when emptyingthe air treatment member. These features may be used by itself in anysurface cleaning apparatus or in any combination or sub-combination withany other feature or features described herein. For example, any of theremovable assembly configurations described herein may be used with anyof the cyclone units, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber,emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters,component configurations, dual mode operable door lock, handleconfigurations, on-board power source arrangements, wands, surfacecleaning heads, information display devices, power switches andcontrols, air flow configurations, suction motors, reconfigurablevacuums, clean air outlet configurations, onboard chargers, poweroperating modes and other features described herein.

Optionally, as mentioned herein, the cyclone unit 126 may be removablefrom the hand vacuum cleaner 100. This may be useful when emptying thecyclone unit 126, and may also allow access to the cyclone unit 126 andadditional portions of the hand vacuum that would otherwise be concealedfor cleaning, inspection and the like. Optionally, the cyclone unit 126,including the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber may beremovable on its own. Preferably, the cyclone unit 126 may be removed asa sealed unit, with the exception of the cyclone air inlet 178 and thecyclone air outlet 180, so that the dirt collection chamber 130 and dirtcollection region within the cyclone chamber 128 (if any) remainssealed. This may help prevent spilling of the dirt or debris from withinthe cyclone unit 126 while it is being transported for emptying. Oncethe user has arrived at the garbage can (or other suitable dumpinglocation), the cyclone unit 126 can be opened (for example by openingthe front door 216 or bottom wall as discussed herein). Alternatively,portions of the cyclone unit may be opened/exposed when the cyclone unit126 is detached to the main body. For example, one wall of the cycloneunit 126 (such as the rear end wall) may remain with the main body 106,so that separating a portion of the cyclone unit 126 from the main body106 opens a portion of the cyclone chamber 128 and/or the dirtcollection chamber 130.

In some embodiments, other portions of the hand vacuum cleaner may beremovable with the cyclone unit. For example, one or more of the dirtyair inlet and conduit, pre-motor filter housing, pre-motor filter,suction motor housing, suction motor, release actuator and the like maybe removable with the cyclone unit 126 as part of a removable assembly.Preferably, any such removable assembly may also be configured to beremoved as a generally sealed unit, but for an assembly air inlet and anassembly air outlet (which may be any combination of the dirty air inletor cyclone air inlet and the cyclone air outlet, pre-motor filterhousing outlet, motor housing outlet and/or clean air outlet). This mayhelp prevent dirt/debris from spilling, and may help reduce the numberof seals and connections in the air flow path required to accommodatethe removal of the assembly.

Any configuration of the removable components can secured to the mainbody of the hand vacuum using any suitable, releasable fasteners orlocking mechanisms, including latches, rotary couplings and the like.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, in this embodiment the removable assemblyincludes only the cyclone unit 126 (including the cyclone chamber 128and dirt collection chamber 130) that is removable from the main body106 for emptying (see FIG. 6). In this example, the cyclone unit 126 isremovable from the main body as a substantially sealed unit, but for thecyclone air inlet 178 and cyclone air outlet 180, which may help a usertransport the cyclone unit 126 to a garbage can without spilling dirtfrom the dirt collection chamber.

In this embodiment, when the cyclone unit 126 is detached the cycloneair inlet 178 is separated from the air inlet conduit 146, and thecyclone air outlet 180 is separated from the pre-motor filter housinginlet 254. Gaskets and other suitable sealing members may optionally beprovided at each of these interfaces to help provide a substantially airtight seal when the cyclone unit is attached.

In this configuration, removing the cyclone unit 126 interrupts theairflow path in two locations, and replacing the cyclone unitre-establishes two fluid connections at the same locations. Providing anopenable interface between the inlet conduit 146 and the cyclone airinlet 178 may allow a user to inspect and/or access the cyclone airinlet 178 and the downstream end of the inlet conduit 146 when thecyclone unit 126 is detached. This may help facilitate cleaning ormaintenance of the hand vacuum 100, and may be helpful if objects becomelodged in the air flow path between the inlet 114 and the cyclone airinlet 178. Optionally, the cyclone unit 126 can be configured so thatboth fluid connections are simultaneously re-established when thecyclone unit 126 is attached.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cyclone unit 126 can be separatedfrom the main body by translating the cyclone unit 126 in a generallyaxial, forward direction, in a generally vertical, downward direction orin a combined forward and downward direction.

When configured in this manner, removing the cyclone unit 126 does notprovide access to the interior of pre-motor filter housing 134 or thepre-motor filter itself 136. Optionally, in addition to have theremovable cyclone unit, the pre-motor filter housing can beindependently openable and/or removable, for example as discussed hereinand shown in FIGS. 7 and 10.

Referring to FIG. 6, in this embodiment the pre-motor filter housing134, suction motor housing 125 remain and inlet conduit 146 remain inplace and connected to the handle 110 (i.e. as part of the main body106) when the cyclone unit 126 is detached.

In this configuration a user may hold the handle 110 with one hand, tosupport the suction motor 124, pre-motor filter 136 and dirty air inlet114, while detaching and manipulating the cyclone unit 126 with theother hand.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 25-29, FIGS. 22-24 illustrate anotherexamples of hand vacuums that are configured so that the cyclone unit126 that is removable from the main body 106, while leaving the inlet114, pre-motor filter housing 134 and suction motor housing 125 inposition. Alternatively, the removable portion of the hand vacuumcleaner may include more than cyclone unit.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 30, in these embodiments the inlet conduit 146and dirty air inlet 114 is coupled to the cyclone unit 126 and isdetachable from the main body 106 with the cyclone unit 126. In thisembodiment the inlet conduit 146 need not be detachable from the cycloneair inlet 178, and the inlet conduit 146 may, for example, be integrallyformed with the cyclone unit 126. When configured in this manner,detaching the cyclone unit 126 from the main body only interrupts theair flow path in one location—the interface between the cyclone airoutlet 180 and the pre-motor filter housing inlet 254—rather than twolocations as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7. This may simplyconstruction of the hand vacuum 100 and may reduce the number of sealsrequired along the portion of the air flow path extending between theinlet conduit 146 and the pre-motor filter housing 134. However, in thisembodiment the inlet conduit 146 may need to be detached from thecleaning wand 150 (or other tool) when the cyclone unit 126 is removedfor emptying—or the cleaning wand 150 could be carried along with thecyclone unit for emptying. In contrast, the embodiments of FIG. 1-7 (andothers) allow the cyclone unit 126 to be

Referring to FIG. 9, in yet another embodiment, the hand vacuum 100 maybe configured so that the pre-motor filter housing 134 is separable fromthe main body 106, either in isolation (FIG. 10), or in combination withthe cyclone unit 126 (FIG. 7). Optionally, the inlet conduit 146 may beconfigured to be removable along with these components, (for example asillustrated in FIG. 8) so that the removable assembly includes thecyclone unit 126, inlet conduit 146 and pre-motor filter housing 134.Alternatively, the nozzle may remain attached to the main body asillustrated in FIG. 9.

In the embodiment of FIG. 9, a user may remove all of the “dirty”components from the main body in a single module, for emptying and/orcleaning. That is, the dirt collection chamber 130 and pre-motor filter136 may both be removed in unison in a single operation. A user may thenempty the dirt chamber 130 and inspect and/or clean the pre-motor filter136 before re-attaching the components. This may help remind a user toinspect the condition of the pre-motor filter 136 each time the dirtcollection chamber 130 is emptied. As the pre-motor filter housing 134is less likely to contain loose dirt particles than the dirt collectionchamber, removing the cyclone unit 126 with the pre-motor filter housingopen may still be considered a generally sealed configuration (but forthe cyclone air inlet 178 and the open portion of the pre-motor filterhousing 134) as dirt from the dirt collection chamber 130is unlikely toescape via the open portion of the pre-motor filter housing 134.

Alternatively, the pre-motor filter housing 134 may be configured sothat its upper wall 248 is also removable along with the cyclone unit126. In this configuration, the pre-motor filter housing 134 may beremovable as a generally sealed unit, but for its air outlet 256.

Optionally, the suction motor housing and suction motor therein may bepart of the removable assembly, and may be separable from the pre-motorfilter housing, handle and other portions of the hand vacuum. Forexample, FIG. 31 illustrates an embodiment of a hand vacuum 100 in whichthe suction motor housing 125 is connected to the cyclone unit 126, andis separable from the pre-motor filter housing 134 along with thecyclone unit 126. In addition to the suction motor housing 125, theinlet conduit 146 is also connected to the cyclone unit 126, such thatthe removable assembly in this embodiment includes the conduit 146,cyclone unit 126 and suction motor housing 125, along with the suctionmotor 124 therein. In this arrangement, separating the removableassembly interrupts the air flow path in two locations (between thecyclone air outlet 180 and the pre-motor filter housing inlet 254, andbetween the pre-motor filter housing outlet 256 and the suction motorhousing inlet 300). In this embodiment, the removable assembly would besealed but for the air inlet 114, the cyclone air outlet 180 suctionmotor inlet 300. While this assembly includes three openings 114, 180and 300, each of the openings are spaced apart from the dirt collectionchamber 130 so that the dirt collection chamber 130 can still beconsidered to be generally sealed. In other words, even though there arethree openings, the location of the openings reduces the likelihood thatany dirt or debris from the dirt collection chamber 130 could leak outof the cyclone unit via the openings such that the user can carry andhandle the removable assembly without spilling its contents.

This configuration may also interrupt the electrical connections betweenthe suction motor 124 and the power source and/or main power switch (orbutton) of the hand vacuum. In the illustrated example, the hand vacuumincludes battery packs 174 in the handle 110, and therefor includes apair of detachable, mating electrical connectors to provide power to thesuction motor when it is connected to the pre-motor filter housing. Theconnectors may be of any suitable configuration, such as mating pins 302and sockets 304. Alternatively, instead of providing detachableelectrical connections, the batteries or power cord and main powerswitch may be provided in the suction motor housing 125 or in otherportions of the main body 106 that are not separable from the suctionmotor housing, or that separate along with the cyclone unit.

In this embodiment, the pre-motor filter housing 134 may be configuredso that the front wall 248 is openable in addition to, or optionallyinstead of opening rear wall 250. The front wall 248 can be connectedusing the same type of hinge mechanism illustrated with respect to therear wall 250, may be detachable or may be attached using any othersuitable type of mechanism. In this illustrated configuration, the frontwall 248 is covered by the cyclone unit 126 and suction motor housing125 when the hand vacuum 100 is in used, and is revealed and is openablewhen the cyclone unit 126 and suction motor housing 125 are removed.

Optionally, instead of separating one or more components from theportion of the hand vacuum 100 that includes the handle 110, the handvacuum may be configured such that the handle 110 is detachable from therest of the components (or it can be understood as the removableassembly including all of the components except for the handle), such asby separating the handle 110 from the main body 100, as describedherein.

Component Configurations

The following is a description of different component configurationsthat can be used in a hand vacuum cleaner. These features may be used byitself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any combination orsub-combination with any other feature or features described herein. Forexample, any of the component configurations described herein may beused with any of the cyclone units, dirt collection chambers, cyclonechamber, emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters,removable component configurations, dual mode operable door lock,handle, on-board power source arrangements, wands, surface cleaningheads, information display devices, power switches and controls, airflow configurations, suction motors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean airoutlet configurations, onboard chargers, power operating modes and otherfeatures described herein.

In some embodiments, a suction motor is provided in an upper portion ofa hand vacuum 100 (see for example FIGS. 8, 11, 22 and 27. Asexemplified, the suction motor may be oriented generally vertically orgenerally horizontally. Further, as exemplified in FIG. 27, the air flowthrough the motor may be in an opposite direction to the air flowthrough the air treatment member. In any such design, one or more energystorage members may be provided in a lower portion of the hand vacuum100, such as in a lower portion of the main body and/or in a lowerportion of the handle.

In some embodiments, the suction motor 124 and pre-motor filter 136 mayeach be located rearwardly of the air treatment member. For example,referring to FIG. 5, in this example the suction motor 124 and pre-motorfilter 136 are both located rearward of a plane 258 that contains therear end wall 186 of the cyclone chamber 128 and the cyclone air outlet180. Alternatively, portions of the suction motor and/or pre-motorfilter may extend forwardly of the plane 258, such that they verticallyoverlap the cyclone chamber 128.

In other embodiments, the suction motor may be positioned forward of arear side of the pre-motor filter and optionally forward of the frontside of the pre-motor filter (see for example FIG. 36). If a batterypack 174 is provided in a lower portion of the handle as exemplified inFIG. 36, then components of the hand vacuum 100 that have significantweight may be provided at both the upper and lower ends of the handvacuum 100 and also longitudinally spaced from each other (i.e.essentially on a diagonal). An advantage of this design is that thecentre of gravity may be positioned centrally with respect to thevertical height of the hand vacuum 100 but is moved forwardly.

As also exemplified in FIG. 36, the suction motor may be positionedabove the air treatment member. As exemplified, the suction motor axis240 is substantially parallel to, e.g. ±20°, ±15°, ±10°, or ±5°, andlaterally (vertically) offset above the cyclone axis 132. Optionally, aprojection of the inlet conduit axis 148 may intersect the suction motor124 (See also FIG. 11). It will be appreciated that, as exemplified inFIG. 11, only a portion of the suction motor may be located above theair treatment member.

Handle

The following is a description of different features of a handle thatcan be used in a hand vacuum cleaner. These features may be used byitself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any combination orsub-combination with any other feature or features described herein. Forexample, any of the removable assembly configurations described hereinmay be used with any of the cyclone units, dirt collection chambers,cyclone chamber, emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motorfilters, removable component configurations, component configurations,dual mode operable door lock, on-board power source arrangements, wands,surface cleaning heads, information display devices, power switches andcontrols, air flow configurations, suction motors, reconfigurablevacuums, clean air outlet configurations, onboard chargers, poweroperating modes and other features described herein.

A hand vacuum in accordance with one or more of the features describedherein may include any suitable type of carry handle. Referring to FIGS.1 to 4, in the one embodiment the handle 110 is located at the rear end120 of the hand vacuum 100. Optionally, the handle may include upper andlower ends 306 and 308, and either one (FIG. 13) or both of the upperand lower ends 306 and 308 (FIGS. 3 and 4) can be connected to the mainbody.

Referring also to FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the upper end 306 of thehandle 110 is positioned at an elevation that is between the upper andlower ends of the suction motor housing 125, and the suction motor 124itself, and is connected to the side wall of the suction motor housing125. The lower end 308 of the handle 110 is positioned at an elevationthat is between the end wall 248 and 250 of the pre-motor filter housing134, and between the upper and lower ends of the pre-motor filter 136,and is connected to the side wall 252 of the pre-motor filter housing134.

In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the uppers end 306 ofthe handle 110 is positioned at an elevation that is between the endwall 248 and 250 of the pre-motor filter housing 134, and between theupper and lower ends of the pre-motor filter 136, and is connected tothe side wall 252 of the pre-motor filter housing 134. The lower end 308of the handle is at an elevation that is between the upper and lowerends of the suction motor housing 125, and the suction motor 124 itself,and is connected to the side wall of the suction motor housing 125.

In both embodiments, an elongate pistol-grip style hand grip portion 310extends upwardly and forwardly along a hand grip axis 312 (FIG. 3)between upper and lower ends 306 and 308, when the hand vacuum isoriented so that the upper end is disposed above the lower end. In theillustrated embodiment, the hand grip axis 312 forms an acute angle 314,relative to a vertical axis. The angle 314 can be any suitable angle,and preferably is between about 5-85°, and may be between about 20-60°.

In this configuration, a finger gap 316 for receiving the fingers of auser is formed between the hand grip 310 and the main body 106. In theembodiments of FIGS. 3-5, 12 and 13, the finger gap 316 is partiallybounded by the hand grip 310, the upper end 306 of the handle, the lowerend 308 of the handle, a portion of the suction motor housing 125 and aportion of the pre-motor filter housing 134. As illustrated in FIG. 5,in this configuration a projection of the cyclone chamber axis 132intersects the hand grip 310 and the finger gap 316, as well as passingthrough the pre-motor filter housing 134.

In the embodiments of FIG. 5, the handle 110 is positioned such that aprojection of the inlet conduit axis 148 is above the hand grip portion310 when the inlet conduit axis 148 is horizontally disposed (asillustrated in FIG. 5). Alternatively in other embodiments, the handleand inlet conduit can be positioned so that a projection of the inletconduit axis does intersect the hand grip portion.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 25 and 27, pre-motor filter housing 134extends over the entire rear end of the hand vacuum, and the full heightfrom the lower end 123 to the upper end 122. In this arrangement, thepre-motor filter housing 134 and filter 136 have a height 137 (FIG. 30)in the vertical direction (i.e. a direction orthogonal to the cycloneaxis 132 in this example) that is greater than the height 129 (FIG. 30)of the cyclone chamber 128, and greater than the height 127 (FIG. 30) ofthe entire cyclone unit 126 in the orthogonal direction. In thisembodiment, the handle 110 is only connected to the rear wall 250 of thepre-motor filter housing 134. That is, both the upper and lower ends 306and 308 are connected to the rear wall 250, and the handle 110 is notdirectly connected to the suction motor housing 125 or other portions ofthe main body 106. In this embodiment, a projection of the cyclone axis132 intersects the pre-motor filter housing 134, filter 136, the handgrip portion 310 and finger gap 316. A projection of the motor axis 240and the inlet conduit axis 148 both extend above the hand grip 310, andoptionally one or both of the axes 148 and 240 may interest the upperend 306.

Optionally, the handle may only be connected to the main body at one ofits ends, instead of both the upper and lower ends, such that there isonly a single point of contact/connection between the handle and therest of the main body. In the embodiment of FIG. 13, the handle 110 isonly connected to the suction motor housing 125 at its upper end 306,and the lower end 308 is not connected to the main body 106.Alternatively, the handle may only be connected at its lower end.

On Board Power Source Arrangement

The following is a description of different on board power sourceconfigurations that can be used in a hand vacuum cleaner. These featuresmay be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in anycombination or sub-combination with any other feature or featuresdescribed herein. For example, any of the on board power sourceconfigurations and features described herein may be used with any of thecyclone units, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber, emptyingmethods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters, removablecomponent configurations, component configurations, dual mode operabledoor lock, handle configurations, wands, surface cleaning heads,information display devices, power switches and controls, air flowconfigurations, suction motors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outletconfigurations, onboard chargers, power operating modes and otherfeatures described herein.

Optionally, the hand vacuum cleaner may be powered by an electrical cord104, such as illustrated in FIG. 2. In such embodiments, the suctionmotor 124 may run on AC power supplied from a wall socket.Alternatively, or in addition to be powered by an electrical cord, thehand vacuum cleaner may include one or more onboard power sources. Thepower sources may be any suitable device, including, for example one ormore batteries and/or battery packs 174. Optionally, the batteries andbattery packs may be rechargeable or may be replaceable,non-rechargeable batteries.

In some embodiments, the battery packs 174 used in the hand vacuum maybe provided at a single location, for example as one large battery pack.Alternatively, battery packs may be provided in multiple locationswithin the hand vacuum, and optionally within the wand 150, surfacecleaning head 154 and other auxiliary tools. Positioning battery packs174 at two or more locations may help distribute the weight of thebatteries, and may affect the hand feel and/or perceived balance of thehand vacuum.

Optionally, battery packs 174 may be positioned generally opposite eachother on opposite sides of a central plane or axis of the hand vacuum,for example toward the upper end 122 and lower end 123 of the handvacuum 100. In this configuration, the weight of one battery pack 174may at least partially offset/ counterbalance the weight of the opposingbattery pack 174. For example, providing upper and lower battery packs174 may help reduce the torque experienced by the user if she rotatesthe hand vacuum about a longitudinal rotation axis. In such aconfiguration, a projection of the cyclone axis 132 may intersect thehandle 110 at a location that is between the upper and lower batterypacks 174.

Optionally, the handle 110 may be configured so that the upper and lowerbattery packs 174 are located as close as possible to the longitudinalrotation axis, which may help further reduce the torque experienced bythe user. Having an unbalanced mass above the rotation axis may resultin a tendency for the instability because the resulting moment forcewill urge the top-heavy hand vacuum to rotate about the rotation axiswhen in use, which may contribute to user discomfort and/or fatigue.Having an unbalanced mass below the rotation axis may have a generallystabilizing effect, but may also require additional torque input fromthe user if they wish to rotate the hand vacuum about the axis.Positioning the battery packs and other vacuum components to help reducesuch unbalanced configurations may help improve the user experience withthe hand vacuum. Optionally, the hand vacuum may be configured so thatits center of gravity lies on the rotation axis, which may help reduceor even eliminate the unbalanced mass concerns.

In some embodiments, battery packs 174 may be positioned within thehandle 174. Optionally, the handle 110 may include only one battery pack174, which may be positioned in the upper end (FIG. 9), lower end (FIG.10) or hand grip portion (FIG. 12). In other embodiments, two batterypacks 174 may be positioned within the handle, and optionally may bepositioned in the upper and lower ends (FIGS. 5, 13, 16, 27 and 36), oralternatively in one of the upper and lower ends and in the hand gripportion 310. In further embodiments, three battery packs 174 may beprovided within the handle 110, with one battery pack 174 beingpositioned in each of the upper end 306, hand grip portion 310 and lowerend 308 (see dashed lines in hand grip 310 FIG. 5). Positioning batterypacks 174 in this manner may help reduce the forward/backward momentforces experienced by a user holding the hand grip 310, and in someconfigurations the weight of the battery pack 174 may help offset theweight of the suction motor 124 and cyclone unit 126 that are positionedforward of the hand grip 310. Similarly, other portions of the on boardpower source, such as electronics and controllers, transformers and thelike may be located in any suitable location, including in at least oneof the upper end, lower end and hand grip.

Each battery pack 174 may include any suitable number of cells, and mayinclude, for example, 3 cell 18560 lithium ion batteries. If two batterypacks 174 are connected in series, the may create a 6 cell 22V Li-ionpower source. Any number of cells may be used to create a power sourcehaving a desired voltage and current, and any type of battery may beused, including NiMH, alkaline and the like. If only one battery pack174 is to be used, in either the upper or lower end of the handle, acomparable counterweight may be provided in the opposing end of thehandle. A non-electrical counterweight (such as a piece of metal orplastic) may help offset the weight of the battery pack 174 in much thesame manner as the second battery pack illustrated in this embodiment.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the hand vacuum includes two battery packs174, one positioned in the upper end 306 and one positioned in the lowerend 308 of the handle 110. Both battery packs are electrically connectedto the suction motor 124 and the power switch 318 that can be used tocontrol the suction motor 124 (described in more detail herein).Optionally, internal electronics 320 may be located within the hand gripportion 310 (in addition to or as an alternative to a third battery pack174) as shown using dashed lines, or may be located in the main body106. The battery packs are optionally connected in series with eachother, or alternatively in parallel with each other. In this embodiment,the battery packs 174 are configured to have generally the same mass,which may help provide a balanced configuration where the overall centreof mass of the batteries 322 is proximate the middle of the hand gripportion 310.

Optionally, the upper and lower ends 306 and 308 of the handle, and handgrip portion 310 if applicable, can be openable to allow access to thebattery packs 174.

Power Source in Wand

The following is a description of different features of a wand with anonboard power source that can be used in a hand vacuum cleaner. Thesefeatures may be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or inany combination or sub-combination with any other feature or featuresdescribed herein. For example, a wand with an onboard power source maybe used with any of the cyclone units, dirt collection chambers, cyclonechamber, emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters,removable component configurations, component configurations, dual modeoperable door lock, handle configurations, on-board power sourcearrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads, information displaydevices, power switches and controls, air flow configurations, suctionmotors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outlet configurations, onboardchargers, power operating modes and other features described herein.

As an alternative to providing battery packs 174 in the handle 110, oroptionally in addition to the battery packs in the handle, the wand 150that is connectable to the hand vacuum 100 may be configured to includeone or more battery packs 174. Providing battery packs 174 in the wand150 may help provide some additional power when the hand vacuum 100 isconnected to the wand 150, and/or to the surface cleaning head 154 viathe wand 150. For example, the extra power in wand batteries 174 may beused to help power the brush motor 172 in the surface cleaning head 154and/or help power the suction motor 124. If the battery packs 174 aresupported in the wand 150, the additional mass of the wand batterypack174 can be left behind with the wand 150 when a user detaches thehand vacuum 100 for above floor cleaning. This may help reduce theweight of the hand vacuum 100, while still providing a desired level ofpower when operating in the floor cleaning mode.

Optionally, providing batteries 174 in the wand 150 and/or surfacecleaning head 154 itself, may allow the floor cleaning components to besubstantially self-powered, which may eliminate the need for providingan electrical connection between the hand vacuum 100 and the wand 150.Alternatively, an electrical connection can be provided between the handvacuum 100 and the wand 150, and between the wand 150 and surfacecleaning head 154, and the batteries 174 (in the wand or hand vacuum)can be connected in any suitable configuration, including in series witheach other or in parallel with each other, or may be switchable fromparallel to series connection to change the voltage and/or run time fordifferent applications. Optionally, all of the batteries can provide atleast some power to the suction motor 124 and at least some power to thesurface cleaning head 154. This may help provide longer run times,higher suction levels or both as compared to only using the powersupplied from the hand vacuum.

For example, when the wand 150 is used in floor cleaning mode to cleancarpet with a brush motor 172, the batteries 174 may be switched toseries to give a higher combined voltage and to provide higher suctionmotor power 124. Alternatively, the wand battery 174 may be switched inparallel with the hand vacuum batteries 174 when used in hard floorcleaning to provide lower suction motor power but a longer run time.

Like the battery packs 174 in the handle, the battery pack 174 in thewand may optionally be removable, for recharging or replacement, or maybe rechargeable in situ.

In FIGS. 40 and 41, one embodiment of a wand 150 with an integratedbattery pack 174 is illustrated. In this example the wand 150 includesan air flow channel 324 and a battery compartment 326 that houses arechargeable battery pack 174. The compartment is covered by a cover328, which may be removed to access or remove the battery pack 174.Wiring 330 in the wand may extend between the electrical connectors atboth ends of the wand, to connect to the hand vacuum 100 and the surfacecleaning head 154. The battery pack 174 may be removed for charging, oralternatively may be charged by applying charging power to theelectrical connectors at one end of the wand 150.

Removable Handle

The following is a description of different features of a removablehandle that can be used in a hand vacuum cleaner. These features may beused by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any combinationor sub-combination with any other feature or features described herein.For example, any of the removable assembly configurations describedherein may be used with any of the cyclone units, dirt collectionchambers, cyclone chamber, emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings,pre-motor filters, removable component configurations, componentconfigurations, dual mode operable door lock, handle configurations,on-board power source arrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads,information display devices, power switches and controls, air flowconfigurations, suction motors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outletconfigurations, onboard chargers, power operating modes and otherfeatures described herein.

Optionally, the handle 110 may be removable from the rest of the handvacuum. The handle 110 can be secured to the rest of the main body 106using any suitable attachment mechanism, including mechanical latches,retention catch or any other mechanism attachment structure capable ofbeing released to disengage and remove the handle. the like. Optionally,the actuators for releasing the attachment mechanism may be provided onthe main body 106 (and remain with the main body when the handle isremoved), or alternatively may be provided on the handle 110 such thatthe actuator is removable with the handle. Optionally, each connectionbetween the handle 110 and the main body 106 may be provided with adedicated locking mechanism (for example at both the upper 306 and lower308 ends of the handle 110). Alternatively, a single locking mechanismmay be used, regardless of the number of physical connections betweenthe handle 110 and the main body 106. Using a single locking mechanismmay help simplify the unlocking and removable of the handle 110.

Optionally, the handle 110 may include one or more operating componentsof the hand vacuum, such as one or more battery packs, electronics,controllers, circuit boards, display members, power switches and thelike. If the handle contains one or more battery packs 174, providing aremovable handle may allow the handle to be connected to a charger orthe like to recharge the batteries, without requiring the entire handvacuum to be manipulated.

If the handle 110 includes electrified components, in addition toproviding a mechanical connection the attachment mechanism may includeat least one electrical connector to provide an electrical connectionbetween the handle 110 and the rest of the hand vacuum 100.

Further, if a power switch 318 is provided on, and is removable with thehandle 110, the same power switch 318 that is used to control thesuction motor 124 (when the handle 110 is connected to the hand vacuum100) may be used to control another device (when the handle is connectedto that device—as described herein). For example, a handle 110 thatcontains batteries 174 and includes a power switch 318 may be used topower and control the hand vacuum 100, and may also be used to power andcontrol a steam mop, sweeper, drill, saw, extractor and/or otherdevices.

Optionally, more than one handle 110 can be provided to a user, suchthat if the batteries of one handle run down during use, the user cansimply replace the entire handle assembly 110 (and optionally the powerswitch 318) and continue using the apparatus, rather than having toreplace the individual batteries or wait to recharge a given handle.

FIGS. 2-4, shows one embodiment of a removable handle 110. In thisembodiment the handle 110 is mechanically connected to the main body 106at the upper and lower ends of the handle, and is secured in place usinga single latch at the upper end 306. The latch can be released bypressing the release actuator that is provided in the form of button332. The button 332 is mounted to the upper end 306, and is removablewith the handle 110 as illustrated. In this example, the same button 332could be used to release the handle 110 from other devices to which itcan be connected.

In this embodiment, the handle 110 includes the power switch 318 and aplurality of batteries 174 (see also FIG. 5). Therefore, in thisembodiment, the upper and lower ends of the handle 306 and 308 are alsoprovided with electrical connectors 334 that can inter-engage withcompatible electrical connectors 336 on the main body 106. Engagementbetween the electrical connectors 334 and 336 can provide an electricalconnection between the batteries 174 and power switch 318 and thesuction motor 124, and optionally can help strengthen the connection. Inthis arrangement, detaching the handle 110 interrupts the supply ofpower to the suction motor 124, and the suction motor 124 is notoperable with the handle 110 is detached.

Optionally, the handle 110 may be configured so that it can be connectedto one or more other devices/ apparatuses, in addition to the handvacuum. For example, the same handle that is used with the hand vacuumcould be connectable to another vacuum, power tool, cleaning device(such as a mop, steam cleaner, carpet extractor, etc.) or any othersuitable device. If the handle includes onboard batteries, the samebatteries that were used to power the hand vacuum could also be used topower the other device(s) that the handle can be connected to.

For example, referring to FIG. 44 a common handle configuration could beused in combination with an upright vacuum cleaner 342, a lift awayvacuum cleaner 344, a power head vacuum cleaner 346, a stick vacuumcleaner 348, a sweeper 350, alternative hand vacuums 352, a hot mopcleaning device 354, a spray mop cleaning device 356, a drill 358, a saw360, a steam window cleaner 362. The handle 110 with onboard batterypacks may provide different power profiles and/or power modes whenconnected to different devices. Some cleaning units and/or wands fromexisting products, such as some of the products available under theShark® brand from SharkNinja Operating LLC, may be designed to connectto the handle 110.

Referring to FIGS. 15-19, another embodiment of a detachable handle 110is illustrated. In this embodiment the handle includes two internalbattery packs 174 (FIG. 16), and includes a main power switch in theform of a finger-grip trigger 318. The handle also includes the displayscreen 364 as described herein. This embodiment includes electricalconnectors 334 and 336 to electrically connect the batteries 174 to themain body 106 (i.e. to the suction motor), and can also includedata/signal type connections (integrated with the connectors 334 and336), if needed, to receive status information from the main body thatcan be shown on the display screen 364. This signal connector can allowcontrol signals to be travel between electronics in the handle 110 andelectronics in other portions of the hand vacuum (if any) or otherdevice to which the handle can be attached. Optionally, the signalconnector can also be connectable to the other types of devices that thehandle can be connected to, and the content of the display screen 364can be matched to the particular device being used. For example, whenconnected to the hand vacuum 100, the screen 364 may show battery powerlevels, suction motor operating mode, surface cleaning head mode and thelike. However, when connected to a drill, for example, the displayscreen 364 may show battery power levels, drill speed, drill operatingmode and the like. If connected to a steam mop, the display screen 364may show water level, reservoir temperature and the like.

In this embodiment, the button 332 for disengaging the locking mechanismthat secures the handle 110 to the main body is provided on the lowerend 308 of the handle 110. The handle 110 in the embodiment of FIGS. 37and 38 has an analogous configuration, but the release button 332remains on the main body 106 rather than being removable with the handle110.

Optionally, the handle 110 may include an additional support panel thatis spaced from the hand grip portion 310 and extends between the upperand lower ends 306 and 308 of the handle 110. This support panel can bepositioned so that it defines part of the perimeter of the finger gap316, and may be configured to be attachable to a variety of differentdevices. Providing a support panel may help strengthen the handle 110and may help reduce the loads and stresses that are carried by the handgrip portion 310. Providing a support panel may also provide arelatively larger engagement surface on the handle 110, as compared toonly having the areas of the upper and lower ends 306 and 308. This mayallow the handle 110 to be connected more securely to different devices,and/or the support panel may including different mounting hardware/features for connecting to different devices.

Referring to FIG. 45, one embodiment of a handle 110 that includes anadditional support panel 366 forward of the hand grip portion 310 isillustrated. In this embodiment, the finger gap 316 is entirely boundedby the handle 110. This handle may be used as an alternative to any ofthe detachable handles described herein.

Information Display Device

The following is a description of an information display device that canbe used with a hand vacuum cleaner. These features may be used by itselfin any surface cleaning apparatus or in any combination orsub-combination with any other feature or features described herein. Forexample, an information display device may be used with any of thecyclone units, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber, emptyingmethods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters, removablecomponent configurations, component configurations, dual mode operabledoor lock, handle configurations, on-board power source arrangements,wands, surface cleaning heads, power switches and controls, air flowconfigurations, suction motors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outletconfigurations, onboard chargers, power operating modes and otherfeatures described herein.

Optionally, the hand vacuum may include one or more information displaydevices to provide information to a user. For example, the hand vacuummay include one or more lights to indicate when the suction motor is on,and its current power level (if applicable), current battery chargelevel and the like. The hand vacuum may also include one or more displayscreens, such as an LCD display, LED screen, OLED screen and the like.The screen, and associated electronics, may be used to display statusinformation. Optionally, the information display devices may be providedon detachable portions of the hand vacuum, such as the handle.Optionally, the information display device may be connectable to otherapparatuses, for example if the handle is connected to a differentapparatus, and the information displayed may be customized for each typeof apparatus that can be connected to the handle.

In the embodiment of FIG. 15, the hand vacuum includes an informationdisplay device in the form of a displace screen 364 that is provided onthe upper end 306 of the handle 110. The screen 364 is configured todisplay the power mode and battery charge status.

If the handle 110 is removable, the screen 364 (and/or lights or otherinformation display devices) can be removable with the handle 110.Optionally, the screen can be configured to show information aboutwhatever apparatus is connected to the handle, so that the same screencan be used for multiple apparatuses. This may reduce the need toprovide screens or the like on each separate apparatus that can beconnected to the handle.

Main Power Switch

The following is a description of different features of a main powerswitch that can be used in a hand vacuum cleaner. These features may beused by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any combinationor sub-combination with any other feature or features described herein.For example, any of the removable assembly configurations describedherein may be used with any of the cyclone units, dirt collectionchambers, cyclone chamber, emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings,pre-motor filters, removable component configurations, componentconfigurations, dual mode operable door lock, handle configurations,on-board power source arrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads,information display devices, controls, air flow configurations, suctionmotors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outlet configurations, onboardchargers, power operating modes and other features described herein.

Optionally, the power switch that controls operation of the suctionmotor (either on/off or variable power levels or both) can be providedon the handle, for example by establishing a power connection betweenthe batteries in the handle and the suction motor (or other portion ofthe hand vacuum). The power switch can be provided in any suitableconfiguration, including a button, rotary switch, sliding switch,trigger-type actuator and the like. The switch may also be configured tocontrol other aspects of the hand vacuum (brush motor on/off, etc.) ormay be configured entirely as a control switch that controls somefunctions of the hand vacuum but does not control the suction motor.Optionally, instead of being provided on the handle, the switch may beprovided on the main body (such as on the motor housing or othersuitable locations).

Referring to FIG. 2, in one embodiment the handle includes a powerswitch in the form of a button 318 that is located toward the rearportion of the upper surface of the upper end 306 of the handle 110.Alternatively, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 22, the power switch318 may be provided on the rear face of the upper end 306 of the handle.In either of these positions, a user may be able to access the button318 while holding the hand vacuum via the hand grip.

Referring to FIG. 15, in another embodiment of the handle 110 the mainpower switch is provided in the form of a trigger 318 that is located onthe front side of the hand grip 310, in a location that allows a fingerof the user to activate the trigger 318.

Optionally, the buttons or triggers illustrated may be used to providedifferent functions for difference powered devices, if the handle 110 isconnected to different devices. For example a button or trigger 318 maybe used to select different power profiles (high power vs. low power),or other device functions. Optionally, the function of the switch 318may be displayed on suitable display device, such as the screen 364described herein.

Optionally, the power switch 318 for the hand vacuum 100 may be providedon the main body or other suitable location. If provided on the mainbody 106, the power switch may be located generally proximate to thehandle 110 so that the switch can be operated using the same hand thatis holding the hand grip 310.

Optionally, any of the power switches 318 described herein may also beconfigured to control the power supplied to the wand 150, surfacecleaning head 154 and/or other device. For example, a single switch 318may be operable to control both the suction motor 124 and the brushmotor 172 (FIG. 1), along with lights and any other electrified elementsprovided on the wand 150, surface cleaning head 154 or any other tool orattachment. The switch 318 may optionally be a two position switch andmay be configured so that all of the electrical components are switchedon an off together (i.e. brush motor 172 is always on when the suctionmotor 124 is on). Alternatively, the switch 318 may be a multi-positionswitch and may be configured to provide independent control of thedifferent electrical components (i.e. the brush motor 172 may beswitched on or off while the suction motor 124 is running). Instead ofcontrolling multiple electrical devices with a common switch 318, thehand vacuum cleaner may be provided with multiple switches 318,independent from each other and operable to control one or moreelectrical devices. For example, the hand vacuum may include a powerswitch 318 for controlling the suction motor 124 and a separate switch318 on the surface cleaning head 154 (FIG. 1) for controlling the brushmotor 172.

Airflow Through Handle

The following is a description of different features of an air flow paththrough a hand vacuum cleaner. These features may be used by itself inany surface cleaning apparatus or in any combination or sub-combinationwith any other feature or features described herein. For example, any ofthe removable assembly configurations described herein may be used withany of the cyclone units, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber,emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters,removable component configurations, component configurations, dual modeoperable door lock, handle configurations, on-board power sourcearrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads, information displaydevices, power switches and controls, air flow configurations, suctionmotors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outlet configurations, onboardchargers, power operating modes and other features described herein.

Optionally, at least a portion of the air flow path between the dirtyair inlet 114 and the clean air outlet 116 may flow through the handle110. This may help facilitate a variety of different air flow pathconfigurations and clean air outlet 116 locations. This may also allowat least some of the air being exhausted by the suction motor 124 toflow over, and optionally help cool, operating components that arelocated in the handle. Examples of such components may include batteries174, controllers, circuit boards, chargers, other internal electronics320 and the like. Internal electronics 320 may include any combinationof circuitry, electronic components, hardware (e.g. processor(s) andmemory), software and/or firm ware. One example of such electronics caninclude a printed circuit board (PCB) FIG. 11 illustrates an embodimentof a hand vacuum in which the handle 110 is hollow and includes aninternal air flow passage. The handle air flow passage has an inlet end368 that is located toward the top 306 of the handle downstream from thesuction motor 124, and an outlet end 370 that is located toward thebottom 308 of the handle. This may help channel the air throughsubstantially the entire length of the hand grip 310.

In this embodiment, virtually all of the air exhausted from the suctionmotor 124 is routed through the handle, and the clean air outlet 116 isprovided in the form of a plurality of holes 370 that are formed in thelower end 308 of the handle. Air entering the inlet end is directedthrough the handle 110 and exits via the holes 370. In thisconfiguration, the air can flow around and cool components that arelocated at the upper end 306 of the handle, at the lower end 308 of thehandle and/or within the hand grip portion 310. In the illustratedembodiment, some examples of such components are shown in dashed lines,and include the optional upper battery back 174, the optional lowerbattery pack 174 and an optional component (such as a third battery back174 or electronics 320) that is located within the hand grip 310.

The embodiment of FIG. 39 illustrates another example of a handle 110that is hollow such that the exhaust from the motor 124 can flow throughthe handle to cool the battery packs 174, and can be exhausted via holes370 in the upper and lower ends 306 and 308 of the handle.

Suction Motor

The following is a description of different configurations andorientations of suction motors that can be used in a hand vacuumcleaner. These features may be used by itself in any surface cleaningapparatus or in any combination or sub-combination with any otherfeature or features described herein. For example, any of the motorconfigurations and orientations described herein may be used with any ofthe cyclone units, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber, emptyingmethods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters, removablecomponent configurations, component configurations, dual mode operabledoor lock, handle configurations, on-board power source arrangements,wands, surface cleaning heads, information display devices, powerswitches and controls, air flow configurations, reconfigurable vacuums,clean air outlet configurations, onboard chargers, power operating modesand other features described herein.

The suction motor 124 used in the hand vacuum may be of any suitabledesign and configuration that is sufficient to impart a desired air flowthrough the hand vacuum. For example, the suction motor may include afan and/or impeller to help generate the desired air flow.

In each of the embodiments described herein, the suction motor 124 isdisposed within the motor housing 125 and rotates about the motor axis240. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10, the motor 124 is arrangedvertically and is located forward of the handle 110, above and overlyingthe pre-motor filter 136 and rearward of the cyclone unit 126.Optionally, as illustrated, the suction motor 124 and the motor housing125 can be positioned in may be entirely forward of the handle 110, suchthat there is no overlap between the motor housing 125 or suction motor124 and portions of the handle 110 (such as the upper and lower ends 306and 308). Alternatively, in other embodiments the suction motor 124 andsuction motor housing 125 may be entirely forward of the hand gripportion 310 of the handle 110, but may have some degree of verticaloverlap with the upper and lower ends of the handle 306 and 308.

Positioning the motor 124 in this location may affect the location ofthe centre of gravity of the hand vacuum cleaner and may affect the handfeel of the hand vacuum 100. This configuration may also help reduce theoverall size of the hand vacuum 100. In another embodiment, asillustrated in FIG. 12, the suction motor may be vertical and may beforward of the handle 110, but positioned beneath and underlying thepre-motor filter 136 and rearward of the cyclone unit 126.

When arranged as illustrated in FIG. 5, the inlet of the suction motorhousing 125 is coincident with the outlet 256 of the pre-motor filterhousing, and the inlet 242 of the suction motor therein, is locatedbelow the outlet of the suction motor housing, which includes thepost-motor filter housing 140. In addition, the inlet the suction motorhousing 125 is positioned vertically higher than the air outlet 180 ofthe cyclone chamber 128, and vertically lower than the inlet conduit146. In this configuration, a projection of the cyclone axis 132 passesbelow, and does not intersect the suction motor housing 125 r the motor124, while a projection of the inlet conduit axis146 intersects the boththe suction motor housing 125 and the motor 154 therein. While thecyclone axis 132 passes below the suction motor 124, if both the cyclonechamber 128 and suction motor 124 are positioned along a lateralcenterline of the hand vacuum, a projection of the motor axis 240 mayintersect with a projection of the cyclone axis 132, as is shown in theillustrated example. Locating the suction motor housing 125 in thisposition may help reduce the overall size of the hand vacuum 100. It mayalso affect the weight distribution of the hand vacuum and the resulting“hand feel” experienced by a user.

Referring to FIG. 11, in another embodiment the suction motor 124 usedin combination with the cylindrical type of pre-motor filter 136 may bearranged generally horizontally, such that the motor axis 240 isgenerally parallel to the cyclone axis 132 and inlet conduit axis148—and optionally the motor axis 240 may be substantially parallel tothese axes. In this example, when the cyclone axis 132 and inlet conduitaxis 148 are horizontally, the cyclone axis 132 is below and parallel tothe suction motor axis 240, and is below the suction motor 124 itself.In this configuration the filter axis 278 is generally orthogonal to thesuction motor axis 240 and the air path through the hand vacuum 100 ismodified, such that air travelling through the suction motor 124 travelsin a generally rearwardly direction. In the illustrated configuration,this means that air exiting the suction motor 124 travels insubstantially the same direction as air entering the inlet conduit 146,and in the substantially same direction as air exiting the cyclone airoutlet 180.

Referring to FIG. 27, in another embodiment the suction motor 124 isarranged generally horizontally and is oriented so that the inlet end242 of the suction motor 124 is the rear end, and air travelling throughthe suction motor 124 exits in a generally forward direction. In theillustrated configuration, air flowing through the suction motor 124travels in substantially the opposite direction as air entering theinlet conduit 146, and in the substantially opposite direction as airexiting the cyclone chamber via the air outlet 180. While illustrated incombination with a generally planar pre-motor filter, a suction motorhaving this orientation, such that air travels in the forward direction,may be used in combination with the cylindrical pre-motor filter, forexample by reversing the orientation of the motor illustrated in FIG.11. Alternatively, the orientation of the suction motor in FIG. 27 maybe reversed, such that air flows through the suction motor in agenerally rearward direction.

When oriented as shown in FIG. 27, the suction motor axis 240 isparallel to the cyclone axis 132 and the inlet conduit axis 148, andboth the cyclone axis 132 and inlet conduit axis 148 are positionedbelow the motor axis 240 when the axes are horizontally disposed.Optionally, the suction motor 124 used in combination with the flat-typepre-motor filter 136 may be oriented vertically, as shown in theembodiment of FIG. 34.

While illustrated as being either vertical (FIGS. 1-10, 12-21, 34 and37-38) or horizontal (11, 25-33, 35 and 36), in other examples the motormay be oriented in an inclined position such that the motor axis isinclined (either forwardly or rearwardly) relative to the cyclone axisand/or inlet conduit axis (forwardly in FIGS. 22-24 and 39).Alternatively, the suction motor could be inclined rearwardly in asimilar manner.

Reconfigurable Stick Vac Configurations

The following is a description of different configurations of stickvacuum with different upright configurations that can be used incombination with a hand vacuum cleaner. These features may be used byitself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any combination orsub-combination with any other feature or features described herein. Forexample, any configurations and orientations described herein may beused with any of the cyclone units, dirt collection chambers, cyclonechamber, emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters,removable component configurations, component configurations, dual modeoperable door lock, handle configurations, on-board power sourcearrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads, information displaydevices, power switches and controls, air flow configurations, suctionmotors, clean air outlet configurations, onboard chargers, poweroperating modes and other features described herein.

Optionally, a hand vacuum 100 may be connectable to a wand 150 andsurface cleaning head 154 in two or more different, functionalconfigurations. For example, a given hand vacuum may be connectable withthe wand and surface cleaning head to provide two different stick vacuumconfigurations, each of which is operable in a floor cleaning mode. Inone embodiment, the handle may be detached from the main body of thehand vacuum and connected directly connected to the wand in one of thestick vacuum configurations.

Referring to FIGS. 42 and 43, an embodiment of a reconfigurable stickvac apparatus includes a hand vacuum 100 with a main body 106 and adetachable handle 110. The main body 106 may be of any suitableconfiguration, and may include a suction motor and air treatment member.The handle 110 may be any suitable handle, including those describedherein, and preferably includes the power switch 318 for the hand vacuum100. The apparatus also includes a wand 150 and surface cleaning head154. In this embodiment, the wand 150 includes mechanical and electricalconnectors at its ends, which are adapted to connect to the main body160 (i.e. to the inlet conduit 146), the handle 110 and/or the surfacecleaning head 154. Optionally, the handle 110 can include the batterypacks 174 as described herein, or may not include batteries. Similarly,the wand 150 may include a battery pack 174 as described herein, or not.

In one configuration (FIG. 42), the handle 110 is connected to the mainbody 106 of the hand vacuum 100, and the hand vacuum 100 is fluidly andelectrically connected to the upper end of the wand 150. The wand 150provides air flow communication and electrical connections to thesurface cleaning head 154 that is connected to the lower end of the wand150 and the apparatus can be used in this configuration to clean thesurface.

In another configuration (FIG. 43), the fluid inlet of the hand vacuum100 cleaner can be connected directly to the surface cleaning head 154.This connection can also include electrical connectors. The lower end ofthe wand 150 can then be connected to the rear end of the hand vacuum100, and the handle 110 can be connected to the upper end of the wand150. In this arrangement, the wand 150 provides a structural andelectrical connection between the handle 110 and the main body 106 ofthe hand vacuum 100, but does not form part of the air flow path whenthe vacuum is in use. In this embodiment weight of the hand vacuum 100is located closer to the surface cleaning head 154, which may affect theweight and hand feel experienced by the user.

Clean Air Outlet

The following is a description of different configurations andorientations of a clean air outlet that can be used in a hand vacuumcleaner. These features may be used by itself in any surface cleaningapparatus or in any combination or sub-combination with any otherfeature or features described herein. For example, any of the clean airoutlet configurations and orientations described herein may be used withany of the cyclone units, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber,emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters,removable component configurations, component configurations, dual modeoperable door lock, handle configurations, on-board power sourcearrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads, information displaydevices, power switches and controls, air flow configurations, suctionmotors, reconfigurable vacuums, onboard chargers, power operating modesand other features described herein.

The clean air outlet of the hand vacuum may be provided in any desiredand suitable location, including on the main body and the handle. Theclean air outlet is optionally positioned downstream from the post-motorfilter housing 140 and post motor filter 142 therein. In the embodimentsillustrated, the post-motor filter is foam filter, but may be anysuitable physical porous filter media, including, for example, a HEPAfilter, paper filter, felt filter and the like.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, a grill 138, which is optionally removable,covers the upper end of the post-motor filter housing 140 and providesthe clean air outlet 116. In this embodiment, the clean air outlet 116is provided at the upper end 122 of the hand vacuum, such that airexiting through the clean air outlet travels in substantially the samedirection as air exiting the suction motor 124—in a direction parallelto the suction motor axis 240. In this embodiment, the clean air outlet116 overlies the upper end of the suction motor 124, and air exiting thesuction motor 124 can flow substantially linearly, directly to thepost-motor filter housing 140 and out the clean air outlet 116 withoutchanging direction. This may help reduce backpressure downstream fromthe suction motor. In this arrangement, a projection of the suctionmotor axis 240 extends through both the pre-motor filter housing 136 andthe post-motor filter housing 140, and also extends through the cleanair outlet 116.

In this configuration, when the hand vacuum is in use, air exiting theclear air outlet 116 will be directed generally upwardly, and possibleforwardly if the hand vacuum 100 is inclined forwardly when in use. Thismay help prevent the air exiting the clean air outlet from blowing onthe user and/or from blowing onto the surface to be cleaned (which mayblow around dust and dirt on the surface before it can be drawn into thesurface cleaning head).

Optionally, one or both of the post-motor filter and clean air outletneed not overlie the suction motor. For example, referring to theembodiment of FIG. 13, the clean air outlet 116 can be provided at theupper end 122 of the hand vacuum but can be offset forwardly from thesuction motor 124 (or alternatively rearwardly or to the side). In thisembodiment, the removable grill 138 is still provided in the uppersurface of the hand vacuum, but the post-motor filter housing 140 andpost-motor filter 142 are positioned forward of the suction motor 124,and are at a lower elevation than the upper end of the suction motor124. Also, in this embodiment, the post-motor filter housing 140 andpost-motor filter 142 overlie portions of the cyclone unit 126 (and asillustrated overlie portions of both the cyclone chamber 128 and thedirt collection chamber 130). Further, in this embodiment, thepost-motor filter housing 140 is positioned between the dirty air inlet114 and the suction motor 124, in the front/back direction, and aprojection of the inlet conduit axis 148 extends through the post-motorfilter chamber 140 and the suction motor 124. Nesting the post-motorfilter chamber 140 and clean air outlet 116 in this manner may helpreduce the overall size of the hand vacuum.

Optionally, the clean air outlet can be provided toward the upper end ofthe hand vacuum, but need not direct the exiting air upwardly. Instead,the clean air outlet may be configured so that air exiting via the cleanair outlet is directed sideways, at an inclined angle forwardly orrearwardly, substantially rearwardly or substantially forwardly. In theembodiment of FIG. 27, the hand vacuum 100 is configured so that itsclear air outlet 116 is provided toward the upper end 122 of the mainbody 160 and exhausts air generally upwardly. Optionally, the post-motorfilter housing 140 could be configured with holes in the front portionof the housing sidewall, so that some or all of the air exiting thepost-motor filter housing 140 is directed forwardly, as shown usingdashed air flow arrows.

In the embodiment of FIG. 39, the clean air outlet includes two spacedapart outlet ports that are provided at the upper and lower ends 306 and308 of the handle 110. In this configuration, the air exiting the cleanair outlet travels generally rearwardly.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 22 and 38, the clean air outlet is locatedat the lower end of the main body.

Onboard Charger

The following is a description of different features of a charger thatcan be provided in a hand vacuum cleaner. These features may be used byitself in any surface cleaning apparatus that includes batteries orother onboard power sources or in any combination or sub-combinationwith any other feature or features described herein. For example, any ofthe removable assembly configurations described herein may be used withany of the cyclone units, dirt collection chambers, cyclone chamber,emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings, pre-motor filters,removable component configurations, component configurations, dual modeoperable door lock, handle configurations, on-board power sourcearrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads, information displaydevices, power switches and controls, air flow configurations, suctionmotors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outlet configurations, poweroperating modes and other features described herein.

Optionally, the hand vacuum may 100 include an onboard charging systemfor charging any batteries or other such onboard power sources. Forexample, the internal electronics 320 onboard the hand vacuum 100optionally may include charge management electronics that areelectrically connected to the batteries 174, for managing the chargingof the batteries and/or power supply from the batteries 174. Optionally,the charging system may be configured to be cooled while in use to helpimprove performance. The charging system may be positioned in the airflow path, such that air being drawn into, or preferably air beingexhausted from, the suction motor can flow over the charging system.Alternatively, the charging system may be provided with a separate airflow mechanism, such as a fan, for generating a cooling flow of airregardless of whether the suction motor is on or off.

Referring to FIG. 39, the illustrated hand vacuum 100 includes oneembodiment of an air cooled battery charging system 372, that may beused with any of the hand vacuum embodiments described herein. The aircooled battery charging system includes a battery charging unit 374configured to be mechanically attached and electrically connected to aremovable handle 110 with an integrated battery back 174, such as thosedescribed herein. In this embodiment, the removable handle 110 definesan air flow path that allows air to flow across the batteries 174 fortemperature regulation. In this embodiment, the batter charging unit 374is electrically connectable to the top and bottom battery housingportions 306 and 308 of the handle. The charger unit 374 containscharging electronics such as those known for charging rechargeablebatteries, such as Li-Ion batteries. The charger unit 374 also containsan air flow device in the form of a fan 376 that provides air flow topush or pull air through the handle 110 via the air flow path. The airflow across the batteries 174 in the handle may help maintain a desiredtemperature during charging, which may help improve charging times andmay help reduce damage to the batteries 174 caused by excessivetemperatures in the cells caused by the charging process or byovercharging. Although air flow is shown in one direction into one endof the handle, the air flow may be provided in either direction andthrough either end of the handle, or via both ends.

In this embodiment, the battery packs 174 in the handle 110 are exposedto the exhaust from the suction motor 124 for cooling when the vacuum isin use, and can be cooled via air supplied by the fan 376 (which is incommunication with the same air flow path) when the suction motor 124 isnot in use.

Power Operating Modes

The following is a description of different power operating modes thatcan be used in combination with a removable handle as described herein.These features may be used by itself with any handle that includes thatincludes batteries or other onboard power sources or in any combinationor sub-combination with any other feature or features described herein.For example, any of the removable assembly configurations describedherein may be used with any of the cyclone units, dirt collectionchambers, cyclone chamber, emptying methods, pre-motor filter housings,pre-motor filters, removable component configurations, componentconfigurations, dual mode operable door lock, handle configurations,on-board power source arrangements, wands, surface cleaning heads,information display devices, power switches and controls, air flowconfigurations, suction motors, reconfigurable vacuums, clean air outletconfigurations, onboard chargers and other features described herein.

Optionally, the hand vacuum cleaner may be configurable in two or moredifferent operating modes, having different power profiles. For example,the suction motor 124 in the hand vacuum 100 may be operable at a lowpower mode and a high power mode, each providing different levels ofsuction and air flow through the hand vacuum 100. Switching between suchpower modes may be done manually by a user in some embodiments, or maybe done automatically based on the configuration or operation of thehand vacuum in other embodiments. In some embodiments, the apparatus maybe operable to automatically change power modes, but may also include amanual option for a user to override the automatic changes.

In embodiments with automatic switching of power modes, the hand vacuum100 may include any suitable mechanism for detecting an operating modeor condition of the hand vacuum 100, and then adjusting the power modebased on the operating mode. For example, the hand vacuum may includeelectrical circuits and other electronic components 320 that can sense/determine the operating mode of the vacuum. Alternatively, or inaddition to electrical components 320, the hand vacuum may include anysuitable mechanical mechanism for detecting the operating mode of thehand vacuum. For example, one of the wand 150 and the hand vacuum 100may include a prong that can engage with a corresponding mechanicalmember (such as a linkage or switch) when the hand vacuum 100 isconnected/ disconnected from the wand 150. The power mode of the handvacuum can then be changed based on the configuration of the mechanicallinkage, for example.

Optionally, in some embodiments the internal electronics 320 provided inthe handle may define different power profiles for different powereddevices that may be coupled to and used with the removable handle 110,and/or in response to different operating modes of those devices thatare selected by a user. The electronics may recognize, for example,different power modes such as low power mode and high power mode. Theinternal electronics 320 may recognize the type of powered device byreceiving a device identification signal from the powered device. Thepowered device may include, for example, a radio frequencyidentification (RFID) chip that provides the device identificationsignal. The internal electronics 320 may also include a wirelesscommunication system, component or device for communicating wirelesslywith electronics in the hand vacuum. In other embodiments, the internalelectronics may simply provide a power connection between the batteriesand the powered device.

Optionally, the internal electronics 320 may sense the nature of thepowered device connected to the handle 110 by measuring the resistanceor impedance across the circuit, and/or detecting changes thereto. Thismay also be used to sense changes in the condition of the device, suchas turning a powered brush roll motor 172 on or off while the handvacuum 100 is in use, and/or switching from a high suction mode to a lowsuction mode. The internal electronics 320 may also optionally sensewhen a device is connected or disconnected in a similar way. Forexample, the internal electronics may be configured to detect when thehand vacuum 100 is connected to the cleaning wand 150 and surfacecleaning head 154 (such that it can be used to power the brush motor172), and when the hand vacuum 100 is detached from the wand 150.Optionally, the internal electronics 320 can be configured toautomatically adjust the power levels and operating mode of the suctionmotor based on such a change in condition.

For example, when the wand 150 and surface cleaning head 154 areconnected to the hand vacuum 100, the hand vacuum can be operated at afloor cleaning mode power level. When the hand vacuum 100 is detachedfrom the wand 150, the internal electronics 320 can automatically adjustthe hand vacuum power management so that the suction motor is operatedat a different, above floor cleaning power level. Optionally, the abovefloor cleaning power level can be higher than the floor cleaning modepower level (i.e. the suction motor 124 generates more suction in theabove floor cleaning mode). Operating the suction motor 124 at a lowerpower level when the hand vacuum is connected to the wand 150 andsurface cleaning head 154 may allow a greater portion of the batterypower to be directed to the brush motor 172. When the powered brush isrotating and agitating the surface it may help mechanically dislodgedirt, hair and debris.

When the dirt, hair and debris have been mechanically loosened in thismanner, they may be sucked up using relatively less suction power (i.e.a lower power mode for the suction motor) than would be required in theabsence of the mechanical agitation. This may allow a lower suctionmotor power level to be used in floor cleaning mode, while stillachieving a desired cleaning of the surface. Alternatively, the floorcleaning power mode may be higher than the above floor cleaning modepower level.

Optionally, in addition to, or as an alternative to automaticallysensing and adjusting the power mode, the apparatus may include a manualpower selection mechanism, such as a switch, where a user can manuallyselect a power mode for a given apparatus. Optionally, the power modeswitch may be provided on the handle, and/or may be associated with theprimary power switch 318. Alternatively, the power mode switch may beprovided on the hand vacuum body, or the body of a different apparatus.In this configuration, each individual apparatus may include a suitablepower mode switch (or may not include any power mode switch) that can beused with a common handle. For example, the hand vacuum 100 may includea suction motor power level switch, while a drill may have a high/lowsetting and a steam mop may have controls to modify the heating orboiling cycle. Providing device-specific switches on a given device mayhelp reduce the complexity of the handle design, while still helping tofacilitate that use of a common handle with multiple devices.

What has been described above has been intended to be illustrative ofthe invention and non-limiting and it will be understood by personsskilled in the art that other variants and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention as defined in theclaims appended hereto. The scope of the claims should not be limited bythe preferred embodiments and examples, but should be given the broadestinterpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

We claim:
 1. A handle with integrated rechargeable battery packcomprising: (a) a grip portion having top and bottom ends, the gripportion being configured to be gripped by a hand of a user between thetop and bottom ends; (b) at least one rechargeable battery coupled to atleast one of the top and bottom ends of the grip portion; (c) at leastone mechanical attachment coupled to at least one of the top and bottomends of the grip portion for mechanically engaging and attaching to apowered device; and (d) at least one electrical connector coupled to atleast one of the top and bottom ends of the grip portion forelectrically connecting the at least one rechargeable battery to thepowered device.
 2. The handle of claim 1 wherein the at least onerechargeable battery includes top and bottom rechargeable batteriescoupled to the top and bottom ends of the grip portion, respectively. 3.The handle of claim 2 wherein the top and bottom rechargeable batterieshave substantially the same mass.
 4. The handle of claim 2 furtherincluding top and bottom battery housings integral with the top andbottom ends of the grip portion, respectively, and wherein the top andbottom rechargeable batteries are located in the top and bottom batteryhousings, respectively and wherein the electrical connector extends fromone of the top and bottom housings, and wherein the mechanicalattachment is located on one of the top and bottom housings.
 5. Thehandle of claim 1 wherein the at least one mechanical attachment iscoupled to the top end of the grip portion, and wherein the at least oneelectrical connector is attached to the top end of the grip portion. 6.The handle of claim 1 further comprising at least one control button onone of the housings or on the grip portion, and wherein the controlbutton controls power to the powered device from the rechargeablebattery portion.
 7. The handle of claim 1 further comprising electronicslocated inside the grip and further including at least one controlbutton electrically connected to the internal electronics and configuredto control at least a power on and off function.
 8. The handle of claim7 wherein the internal electronics include control button circuitryconfigured to receive an identification of the powered device when theremovable handle is attached and configured to provide a control signalto circuitry in the powered device in response to activation of thecontrol button.
 9. The handle of claim 8 wherein the control buttonactivates different functions in different powered devices.
 10. Thehandle of claim 9 further comprising a display coupled to the controlbutton circuitry and configured to di splay at least a function of thecontrol button.
 11. The handle of claim 10 wherein the electronicsinclude charge management circuitry electrically connected to therechargeable battery and wherein the charge management circuitry isconfigured to store different power profiles corresponding to differentpowered devices and is configured to activate a power profile inresponse to detecting the powered device when the handle is connected.12. The handle of claim 1 wherein at least the grip portion defines anair flow path, wherein the air flow path is fluidly coupled to an airexhaust when connected to a vacuum cleaner device.
 13. The handle ofclaim 4 wherein the grip portion, the top battery housing and the bottombattery housing define an air flow path allowing air flow along thebatteries to provide heat transfer to or from the batteries, wherein theair flow path is fluidly coupled to an air exhaust when connected to avacuum cleaner device
 14. A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising: (a) avacuum unit including at least suction source and a debris collector;and (b) a removable handle with integrated rechargeable battery packconfigured to be removably attached to at least one end of the vacuumunit.
 15. The vacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 14 further comprising aremovable wand configured to be removably attached to at least anotherend of the vacuum unit and wherein the removable wand is configured tobe coupled between the vacuum unit and the removable handle.
 16. Thevacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein a center of gravity of theremovable handle with integrated battery pack is proximate a twist axisof the vacuum unit, and wherein the twist axis extends generally alongthe removable wand when coupled to the vacuum unit.
 17. The vacuumcleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein at least a top end of theremovable handle is configured to be coupled to the vacuum unit and theremovable wand.
 18. The vacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 14 whereinthe vacuum unit exhausts into the removable handle when attached.
 19. Avacuum cleaning apparatus comprising: (a) a vacuum unit having a backend and a front end and including at least suction motor and a debriscollector between the back end and the front end; and, (b) a handleproximate the back end of the vacuum unit the handle including a gripportion, a top rechargeable battery at a top end of the grip portion,and a bottom rechargeable battery at a bottom end of the grip portion,wherein the top and bottom rechargeable batteries are arranged such thata center of gravity is proximate a twist axis of the vacuum unit. 20.The vacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 19 wherein the suction motor islocated in front of the handle and is arranged such that a center ofgravity of the motor is proximate the twist axis.
 21. The vacuumcleaning apparatus of claim 19 wherein the handle is removable.
 22. Thevacuum cleaning apparatus of claim 19 wherein the front end of thevacuum unit is configured to attach to a vacuum wand, and wherein thetwist axis extends along the vacuum wand.
 23. The vacuum cleaningapparatus of claim 19 wherein the top and bottom rechargeable batterieshave substantially the same mass.
 24. An air cooled battery chargerassembly: (a) a battery charging unit including an air flow device; and(b) a handle with integrated rechargeable battery pack configured to bemechanically attached and electrically connected to the battery chargingunit for charging. the handle defining an airflow path that is fluidlycoupled with the air flow device when the handle is attached to thebattery charging unit such that the air flow device causes air to flowthrough the handle to maintain a temperature of the rechargeable batterypack during charging.
 25. The air cooled battery charger assembly ofclaim 24 wherein the handle includes a grip portion and top and bottombattery housings at top and bottom ends, respectively, of the gripportion wherein the rechargeable battery pack includes first and secondbattery packs connected in series and located in the top and bottombattery housings, respectively and wherein the airflow path extendsthrough at least the top and bottom battery housings.